


Nothing Else Matters

by ASchwartz33



Category: Naruto
Genre: Anbu Yamato | Tenzou, Biting, Friends to Lovers, Hatake Kakashi is a Troll, Hokage Hatake Kakashi, M/M, Threesome - M/M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-03
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-11-22 19:07:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 37,610
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20879204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASchwartz33/pseuds/ASchwartz33
Summary: A re-telling of the Naruto story so to speak, with Kakashi's relationship as the center point.





	1. Chapter 1

The deep gray of the Anbu headquarters dragged on Kakashi's mind. The dull colors squashing all happiness down in his heart as he packed up his belongings. Lord third had decided it was time for him to step out into the daylight and become a normal shinobi. He didn't want to. Anbu was the only life he had lived for the last decade, and somehow leaving this blood soaked life behind felt like losing a piece of himself. Who would he be without the porcelain mask? How was he supposed to step up and take over a group of kids?

Kakashi finished boxing up the stuff from his locker. He didn't think he kept much in the building, but ten years worth of 'nothing' actually added up to two boxes of junk. He picked up the last box, making his way out of the building slowly, thinking of past memories from within the walls. 

Before he could make it out the front door, he was stopped by a familiar chakra presence behind him in the hallway. Kakashi automatically set the box down at his feet, and turned to look at his kohai. Tenzo was waiting, knowing full well that Kakashi had sensed him easily. He stood there in his traditional Anbu uniform, but had decided against the mask it seemed. Kakashi had half hoped he could make it away from here without running into him. 

The truth was that Tenzo had been the only good thing to come out of his time within these dreadful walls. Rescuing him from Root was one of the few things Kakashi could truly be proud of in his life. He had been called an elite, and he had been called a genius, but none of it had compared to the pride he felt when Tenzo had called him 'Senpai'. But, Kakashi wasn't good at expressing his feelings. He couldn't let himself become that vulnerable, and honestly he wasn't even sure why anymore. 

Tenzo walked closer, placing a hand to the back of his neck nervously. "Uh, Senpai? I just wanted to wish you good luck." 

Kakashi could see it in his eyes. Tenzo had always been so expressive without his mask on. Those giant brown eyes couldn't hide a thing unless Tenzo really tried to. He was hurting, and Kakashi was too. He would miss being on a team with his kohai, but ultimately he didn't get a choice in the matter and it was long past time for him to move on. 

"Thanks, Tenzo. I'll see you around." Kakashi spoke softly, shooting his kohai a smile before turning to pick up his belongings and head out the door. Tenzo's chakra didn't move as he walked away. Kakashi wished more than anything he could turn around, run back over to his friend and choose to stay, and the fact that he couldn't was breaking his heart. 

*

Kakashi waited in line patiently to turn in his mission report. His first non-Anbu mission in a long time had been quite simple. It was a strange concept to make it through a mission without killing an enemy, and filling out reports was not an enjoyable task. In Anbu, most of his missions weren't written on paper. He gave an oral report to his supervisors and they got to decide what info went into the record. 

The line moved slowly, so slowly that Kakashi considered throwing his report over the crowd and taking off. He quickly changed his mind as the man currently at the desk was suddenly being screamed at by the man working behind it.

"IN WHAT WORLD WOULD THIS BE AN ACCEPTABLE REPORT? DO I NEED TO BRING IN SOME GENIN TO TEACH YOU HOW TO WRITE A PROPER SENTENCE?!" The man roared, and Kakashi found himself peeking around the crowd. 

The man in question was only a chunin, but Kakashi recognized the name on his desk. Iruka Umino. Kakashi knew his reputation. In fact, he was half sure he had chased him through town in his first years of Anbu after he had been pulling pranks all across the city. The man leaned over the desk angrily, red heat dusting his cheeks as he continued lecturing the jonin in front of him. Kakashi couldn't help but be amused by someone with the guts to yell at people who were technically his superiors. 

The closer he got, the more interesting the man had become. He watched intently as the man moved through his work with ease, releasing a constant stream of insults as sub-par reports came flowing in. The other thing he noticed was the scar. Iruka had a smooth scar across the bridge of his nose, the only deformity Kakashi could see on the sun-kissed skin. The scar drew him in like it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. It fascinated him, made him curious about its story, and how it felt under the touch of a finger. 

Kakashi tried to reel in his thoughts as they became more and more distracted by Iruka. What the hell was wrong with him? He doesn't even know the guy but he was practically drooling at the mouth over him. 

As he stepped up to the desk, his thoughts drifted to his report. It wasn't an example of quality work, that's for sure. He wondered briefly if he was about to be yelled at as well, when he handed it over to the beautiful man behind the desk. Iruka locked eyes with him as the document exchanged hands. 

"I don't think we've met. I'm Umino Iruka." He spoke softly as he held out a smooth bronze hand. 

"Hatake Kakashi." He answered plainly, trying to hide his excitement at the skin-to-skin contact he was receiving. 

Iruka unrolled the report, scanning it with a frown. He placed it down on the desk and interlocked his hands together, thinking for a moment. 

"I realize this must be your first regular mission in quite some time, Kakashi, so I'm going to give you a break this once. This report is sub-standard, but I will rewrite it for you this time. Please be sure that the next one is up to code." 

Kakashi was shocked by the gentle tone Iruka had used. 

"Thank you, Iruka. I will do better next time." He answered before walking out the door. 

Better next time? What the hell happened to Kakashi doesn't-listen-to-anyone Hatake? That was the nicest he had been to any random ninja in YEARS. Tenzo would have given him endless grief for that pathetic display. It was all because of that damn scar, Kakashi thought to himself, shaking his head as he returned home. 

*

Kakashi was a terrible jonin leader. He had already failed two teams and was about to fail another as he sat in the bushes. He watched the three genin, two sitting on the ground and one tied to the pole. If only they would just show ONE OUNCE of teamwork, he would pass them. He could work with that. 

He thought about Iruka. He had slowly been getting into the man's good graces by handing in impeccable mission reports. He would smile, offer up a "good afternoon, Iruka" and hand over the report. Kakashi would ask him about his day if the room wasn't busy, and Iruka could go on about his other job as a teacher all day. His deep brown eyes would shine bright as he talked about his students and all the progress they made. 

Kakashi stared out at the field. Iruka had been the teacher of this particular genin team, and he wanted nothing more than to pass them. He waited until it finally happened. Both students eating their lunch offered up their food to the other, breaking the rules to help a comrade. He smiled brightly to himself before signing for a transportation jutsu.

*

Kakashi sat at Ichiraku's with Naruto. The boy had an insatiable appetite for ramen, and Kakashi wondered why he kept offering to pay. No… he knew exactly why. Iruka loved ramen too, and showed up constantly when Naruto was here. Iruka and Naruto had a strong bond, and who could blame them? Iruka was a shining star in the darkness that could bring hope to the most dreary night, and Naruto was the most inspiring child he had ever met. 

Kakashi could definitely handle hanging around with the blonde fireball if it meant he could possibly spend more time with the man he was slowly falling in love with. 

The silver-haired jonin perked up as he felt the approach of a familiar chakra signature. He smiled to himself as Naruto shouted his greeting and hugged the man. Iruka laughed, a light bouncy chuckle that fluttered into Kakashi's sensitive ears, and joined them for dinner. 

After an hour of Naruto telling stories from their training, the boy finally left the stand. Kakashi was pleasantly surprised when Iruka paid for all three meals. 

"I owe you for all the ramen you've bought Naruto, anyway." The brunette said with a smile. 

Kakashi looked at that gorgeous smile. The way the perfectly tan skin moved, changing the shape of his scar. Iruka's lips were moving, and Kakashi hadn't heard a word. 

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked calmly.

"I was wondering if you wanted to grab a drink with me at my place?" The teacher asked confidently. 

Kakashi smiled. "Of course, Sensei." 

They walked back to Iruka's apartment, with the younger man telling animated stories of his crazy classroom. Kakashi could listen to him for hours, and he intended to do just that. 

"I'm talking to much, aren't I?" Iruka suddenly asked.

"Of course not. I love listening to your stories." Kakashi said, sharing a smile with the other man. Iruka smiled back and continued recounting the days since they last spoke until they finally reached their destination. 

Iruka's apartment was small, but relatively clean with the exception of papers and books littering every surface. The man went to retrieve the sake and Kakashi moved to the table. He glanced through piles of assignments before using his sharingan to create several organized piles. Iruka returned and stared at the table, fingering through the piles and releasing a pleased hum. "How did you sort through them so fast?" He asked happily. 

"Ah, well, I kinda cheated with the sharingan, Sensei." Kakashi answered sheepishly. He didn't often talk about his left eye, but Iruka made him feel comfortable enough to talk about anything. 

"Would it be alright if I looked at it?" The teacher asked while pouring their drinks.

Kakashi was a bit surprised at the question. It wasn't often people showed an interest in what was under his headband. He smiled gently through his mask and slowly pulled the headband away from his closed eye. Iruka moved around to his side of the table and watched patiently. He opened it, the red eye shining brightly. 

He avoided eye-contact with the teacher. Many people were afraid of his eye, or disgusted at the scar, and he didn't want to see the look on Iruka's face. He looked down to the table, noticing tiny notches cut along the edges. No doubt a habit of Iruka's when he graded papers. 

Kakashi's attention shifted back to his host when Iruka moved closer slowly. The man had obviously spent enough time around jonin to know to take slow, measured movements. 

They made eye-contact, Iruka staring into the sharingan as he moved into Kakashi's space. He reached a tan hand up, pausing a few inches away. "May I?"

Kakashi nodded slowly, and Iruka placed sure fingers over the scar, tracing it over and under the eye. He watched Iruka's face, waiting for an adverse reaction that never came. His face was filled with awe and admiration, not the usual fear. 

"It's beautiful, Kakashi." Iruka spoke, continuing to gently touch the pale skin surrounding the eye. 

Kakashi released a breath he didn't know he was holding, and unconsciously leaned into the touch. This man understood what it was like to have a prominent scar where everyone could see. He understood the loneliness of growing up without parents, and understood the pain that comes with losing the people close to you. 

Kakashi finally found the reason he was so drawn to this man, to Iruka. Their pain was so similar, yet somehow they had grown up completely different. Iruka was a warm light, brightening the lives of those around him, while Kakashi had become closed off and cold, dragging people down into the darkness. 

As much as he wanted this man, he couldn't dampen the bright life inside of Iruka like that. 

"You're thinking too hard." Iruka spoke, placing his hand to Kakashi's jaw softly.

Kakashi looked to him, confused. 

"I can see it in your eyes." The teacher spoke with a laugh. "You don't need to think so hard. Sometimes things don't need to be so complicated. I like you, Kakashi."

"How could someone like you be interested in someone like me?" Kakashi spoke quickly, blasting his insecurities out into the open. It was something about Iruka. Something that forced Kakashi to spill all of his thoughts uselessly. His mouth betrayed him, betrayed all the secrecy he had built his life around. 

"I would only drag you down." Kakashi looked down as he spoke. "I'm filled with darkness. I would only ruin everything you have." 

Iruka laughed again. Confusion laced Kakashi's features as he forced himself to look up at the chunin. "Kakashi, you are probably the smartest person I know… but you only look at things from one side. I know you think that you are going to drag me down, but did you ever consider that maybe I'm going to pull you up?"

Kakashi froze, Iruka's hand still on his jaw. His eyes started to water, and the warm hand moved up to close his sharingan. The gesture was sweet, and the jonin leaned into his touch again. Iruka moved closer, placing his free hand to the other side of Kakashi's face. 

Kakashi looked deep into the brown orbs, seeing waves of emotion rolling beneath the surface. Iruka pulled Kakashi in, pressing his warm mouth over the fabric mask. The chunin pulled back, and Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise. He reached up to rip his mask down and crushed his lips to Iruka's. The man kissed him back instantly, wrapping his arms around Kakashi's shoulders, forcing their bodies closer than ever. 

~

Iruka woke up refreshed. He stretched out slightly, feeling a slight soreness from last night. He smiled as the warm arm around his waist curled tighter, and a soft mumbling echoed against his bare back. 

Iruka chuckled. "What?"

"No. It's not time to wake up yet." Came the tired mumbling from behind him. 

He smiled. Never had he imagined that he would be laying in bed with Kakashi Hatake snuggling up to his back. Iruka had been enamored with the jonin since the very first time he had seen him in the mission room. He was only able to see one quarter of the man's face, true enough, but that was all it took. His guarded personality called out to Iruka. 

After a few months of bumping into each other, Kakashi had finally passed a group of genin that Iruka had taught personally. If he said that he was walking by Ichiraku's every night "coincidentally", he would be lying. Iruka was always hoping to bump into the famous copy-ninja at one of the only places he went besides his apartment. He occasionally ran into the man at the memorial stone, but Kakashi never seemed aware of his presence, and Iruka never wanted to bother him there. 

He had finally worked up the courage to invite the man back to his apartment for drinks, with the pure intentions of just getting to know him better. Of course, his plan changed as soon as he saw the scar. The eye was beautiful and red. He was entranced, and he felt the need to touch the angry skin surrounding it. The scar on his own face was always something on his mind, and it was refreshing to see something similar on someone else. 

The skin was so soft on Kakashi's face that Iruka couldn't bear to stop touching him. 

Now, he had no regrets. His new lover warmed his back and he couldn't be any more content. He rolled over to face the rumpled lump of jonin behind him. Iruka placed a finger under the sleepy man's chin, pulling up to get some eye-contact. The chiseled jaw, pink lips, and straight, white teeth put together Kakashi's beautiful face. Who would have guessed what the man had kept constantly hidden underneath a thin layer of fabric. 

Iruka smiled, watching Kakashi struggle to suppress a yawn as a pale hand ran through messy silver hair. Kakashi's bedhead didn't look all that different than his regular style, and Iruka giggled at the thought.

"What are you laughing about?" Kakashi mumbled. 

"Just looking at your bedhead. It's adorable." Iruka said with a smirk. 

Kakashi smiled. "I could say the same to you." The jonin reached up, dragging a hand through Iruka's long brown hair that he had enthusiastically pulled the hair tie out of some time last night. Kakashi snuggled in close, and Iruka took a moment to appreciate the fact that Konoha's number one killer was a relentless cuddler. 

Iruka spent the rest of the morning in his bed with Kakashi, exchanging stories of battles and Naruto. Until eventually, Kakashi had to leave to go train with his team.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey just an fyi I switch points of view often, but it will only be between the 3 main characters. Also I move forward in time rapidly. Enjoy!

Kakashi returned to Konoha after an insanely long mission to the land of waves. The battle had been brutal, with Kakashi having chakra exhaustion twice in the month they were gone. 

He didn't want to report to the Hokage, he just wanted to find Iruka. They had barely been dating two weeks before Kakashi and the team had been shipped out. 

After giving his report to Lord Third, he practically ran to the mission room. Iruka should be working today. He looked across the crowded room and spotted the teacher pouting behind the desk. Kakashi's mission had lasted two weeks longer than expected, and he was fairly certain Iruka wasn't thrilled. 

Brown eyes suddenly looked up and locked onto his. A slow creeping smile spread across Iruka's face as Kakashi entered the line. If they hadn't agreed to keep their relationship to themselves, Kakashi would cut through the line and pull Iruka in for a deep kiss. The pair had decided it was for the best to keep it to themselves. Even though Konoha was generally a very accepting community, people weren't very thrilled to hear of men sleeping together. That, Kakashi would deal with. What he couldn't live with, however, was the possibility of Iruka facing backlash as a teacher. 

Kakashi waited his turn patiently. When his turn came, he smiled down at his most favorite person as their hands grazed across the scroll. Iruka thanked him as always, checking over his usual perfect report before dismissing him. "You look exhausted, Kakashi. Perhaps a trip to the hospital is in order?" 

"Maa, Sensei, I was hospitalized in the land of waves already. I will be fine, thank you. I think I will just head home now." Kakashi answered happily, before turning to leave. 

Kakashi jumped across town to Iruka's apartment. He had spent every night there since they had started dating, and Kakashi was happy to be back. He raced through Iruka's wards, pushing inside to get his spare clothes out of Iruka's dresser. He lay in bed exhausted, pressing his bare nose to Iruka's pillow, inhaling the smell of chalk and spice, the scent that was pure Iruka. 

Kakashi woke to warm hands on his shoulders. He pulled his face out of the pillow to look up at his smiling boyfriend. "Morning, Sunshine."

Iruka chuckled. "It's still afternoon. I took off from work early." 

Kakashi rolled, pulling his lover to the bed and into a passionate kiss. Iruka settled down between his legs and over his chest, knowing full well that Kakashi could handle the extra weight. They cuddled and kissed each other to their heart's content. 

~

Iruka waited at the gates for Kakashi's return. The man had only been gone for three days, but in that time, Sasuke had left the village, and the retrieval mission had failed. Kakashi would be devastated, and Iruka thought that he should be the one to give the news. Tsunade hadn't been Hokage for very long, but she was the only person in the village aware of Kakashi and Iruka's relationship, and allowed Iruka this. 

Kakashi should be returning any time. Iruka could sense his chakra about a mile out, which meant Kakashi could sense his as well. It was abnormal for Iruka to wait at the gates for his boyfriend, and the man would know something was wrong. 

As if reading his mind, Kakashi used a transportation jutsu to show up at the gate, worry crossing his features. His body was tense and he slowly moved over to Iruka, who was sitting on the bench. He found it difficult to keep his emotions in check long enough for Kakashi to sit next to him. 

Iruka couldn't beat around the bush with this. He knew he needed to get straight to the point. 

"Sasuke is gone. He left with four ninjas from the sound, and they took him. Naruto and some of the others went after him and fought the enemies… but he escaped with Orochimaru."

Kakashi sat still, staring down at his clenched fists. He may have played the part of cold-blooded Kakashi, but Iruka knew better. The jonin was crushed. 

"Choji and Neji are in intensive care, and Naruto and Lee are in the hospital with lower level injuries. Naruto caught up with Sasuke… they fought. I found him and brought him home. But… he hasn't really said much." Iruka explained slowly. 

Iruka felt his body shift as Kakashi transported them back to his apartment. They had been together for almost a year, and in that time he still hadn't managed to get used to the feeling. He rocked back and forth, trying to regain his balance as the earth spun below him. When he finally recovered, he looked to see his lover crumpled to the floor against the door. His knees were up to his chest and his arms wrapped around his lowered head. 

Iruka moved quickly. He leaned down, scooping Kakashi's limp form up from the floor. With one arm under his legs and one under his back, he managed to carry him to the bed. Despite Kakashi's smaller frame, he was solid muscle, and that was all the more obvious as Iruka moved him from room to room. 

Iruka knew Kakashi wouldn't speak, so he climbed into bed with him and pulled him into his arms. The jonin's body shook. Whether it was with rage or sadness, Iruka couldn't tell. Either way, he was distraught. 

"It's okay, Kakashi. We'll get him back. Orochimaru can't change bodies again for another three years. We'll get him. I promise." Iruka spoke softly, running a hand through soft silver hair. 

Kakashi wrapped his arms around Iruka's stomach, a good sign. He will need some time, but ultimately he will be okay. Iruka would be here for him every step of the way. 

In the morning, Iruka woke to familiar fingers tracing the deep scar on his back. Iruka had always been self-conscious of the scar Mizuki had given him, but touching it had always calmed Kakashi down for some reason. Iruka smiled lightly to himself. Kakashi would be okay, in time. 

~*

Two years. It had been two years since they had started dating, and Kakashi was undeniably in love with the man. But for some reason he hadn't told him yet. He was well aware that Iruka wasn't saying it because he was afraid of scaring Kakashi away, but why couldn't Kakashi say it? Perhaps the world famous copy ninja, master of a thousand jutsus, who ran straight ahead into danger, was afraid. Iruka loved him, and he showed it every day. He showed it in all the cheeky little presents he bought, all the distractions he provided when Kakashi was feeling down, and all the interference he ran when his team was trying to reveal his face. But what if Kakashi was wrong? What if admitting his love for the man would somehow add him to the list of people he's lost?

He knew he was being insecure, and ridiculous. Iruka was about as safe as he could be. He didn't go on regular missions outside the village, and he was certainly capable of protecting himself. At this point, nothing could separate them. Maybe it had all started up again six months ago, when Naruto had left with Jiraiya. Sasuke was still missing, Sakura was training under Tsunade, and Naruto was gone. His whole team had been pulled out from under him, one at a time. 

All he had left now was Iruka. Somehow, they had managed to keep their relationship a secret this long. They had even moved into a bigger apartment together! No one had noticed, because who was left for Kakashi to care about? Just Iruka. 

He rolled over in the bed, making eye contact with Iruka. He hadn't been aware that the other man was even awake. 

"Good morning, Sunshine." Kakashi voiced quietly, attempting to smile at his boyfriend.

Iruka smiled, but Kakashi could tell that the younger man hadn't fallen for the fake happiness he was trying to pull off. 

"You haven't been sleeping well, and I can feel you brooding from here. Something on your mind?" Iruka replied, stretching his legs. 

"Just… you know… feeling a little useless with my team being gone." Kakashi answered sheepishly. He never could keep anything from him, after all. Even when Kakashi had the mask on, Iruka could read him like an open book. It was unsettling and reassuring at the same time. 

Iruka smiled softly, grabbing Kakashi's hand. "You are the least useless person in this whole damn village. Just because your team is off doing extra training doesn't mean they still don't need you. The only reason they can even train to do the things they are doing right now is because YOU brought them to where they were. I believe in you, Kakashi, and so do a lot of other people here as well."

Kakashi smiled. Iruka always knew the right things to say. The man certainly had a way with words. But even more so, iruka was just good at making Kakashi happy. He had kept his word from the very first day they were together. Iruka was constantly pulling the older man up, picking him up when he had fallen down. He always knew how to make him feel overwhelmingly loved. All the little things added up. When Kakashi came home from a mission broken and out of it, Iruka nursed him back to health, forcing him to shower and eat and sleep. If Kakashi was sick, Iruka was the worrying mother hen, swooping in with medicine and eggplant miso soup. Whenever a copy of his precious icha-icha was ruined, a replacement would be on his nightstand when he woke up. And probably Kakashi's absolute favorite thing was when Iruka would mindlessly play with Kakashi's hair in a specific spot behind his ear. It reminded him of how someone would scratch behind a dog's ear, as he did the very same thing to Pakkun constantly. Iruka would be focused on grading papers or reading a story, and if Kakashi laid in his lap, the tan hand would move absently to the side of his head. Kakashi loved every second of it, and he had no idea why. Everything Iruka did showed the jonin that he cared, and even now, as depressed as he was, just thinking about those things brought a giant smile to his face. 

"What is it?" Iruka asked, giggling at the undoubtedly cheesy smile adorning Kakashi's face. 

"I love you, Iruka." Kakashi spoke confidently. 

Iruka's eyes went wide, his breathing pausing slightly at the shocking admission. Kakashi watched the warm smile creep back to Iruka's face before he tackled the older man down to the bed. "I love you too, Kakashi." 

~*

Iruka ran through the halls of the hospital, searching for the one person who could give him answers. Kakashi and the team had taken off to the land of wind after Gaara had been kidnapped. He hadn't heard very many good things. What he did hear, was that Kakashi almost died and was severely injured in the hospital. He made it to the front desk, his breathing ragged from the run all the way from his apartment. 

"Hatake Kakashi?" He asked quickly.

"I'm sorry sir. I can't give you that information." The snobby woman behind the counter answered. 

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T GIVE ME THAT INFORMATION?!" He was yelling now, but he couldn't help it. The love of his life had been injured, and no one could keep them apart. 

"What I mean is, that you are not family to him and I will not give away information to random people." She answered loudly. 

"RANDOM PEOPLE? KAKASHI IS MY BOYFRIEND! YOU CAN'T KEEP ME AWAY FROM HIM!" Iruka felt the panic racing through his veins as the words left his mouth.

"Iruka sensei?" 

Iruka turned to see a surprised Sakura, clutching a clipboard to her chest. He took a moment to look around, finally noticing all the people staring at him. He blushed, realizing what he had just done. 

"Sensei, come with me." Sakura said quietly, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. They walked silently for a while, the awkward tension palpable in the air. 

"So… Kakashi Sensei is your boyfriend?" Sakura asked timidly. "For how long?"

"Uuh… almost four years." He answered quietly, rubbing a hand nervously across the scar on his nose. 

"FOUR YEARS? How on Earth have we not noticed that?" Sakura spoke aloud. 

"We've kept it to ourselves… but I'm surprised the secret lasted this long. We DO live together, you know." Iruka replied. 

Sakura shot him a look of amazement. Iruka would laugh if he wasn't so worried. "So… how is he?"

"He's awake for now, but he has been out of it a lot. He activated his mangekyou sharingan more than once, and he has severe chakra exhaustion. He won't be able to go on missions for a while… Tsunade is working on that right now." Sakura spoke quickly. She finally stopped walking and led Iruka into a private room. 

Kakashi was sprawled out on the bed weakly, but visibly perked up when he saw Iruka. The teacher crossed the room quickly, flinging himself into Kakashi's arms and peppering his face with kisses. Kakashi's one visible eyebrow was raised in shock, and he glanced between Sakura and Iruka quickly. Iruka followed his train of thought, sitting up to break the news. "Ah well… I kind of made a scene at the front desk when they wouldn't tell me where you were. I kinda… spilled the beans. Very loudly. I'm sorry."

Kakashi laughed loudly. It wasn't exactly the reaction Iruka had expected. He was confused, but Kakashi kept laughing, holding his stomach until he was finally able to calm himself down. 

"Sorry about that… I guess I'm more tired than I thought. I'm glad you told everyone. I don't want to hide it anymore." The older man spoke as he reached out for Iruka's hand, lacing their fingers together. 

~

Over the next couple hours, Kakashi explained to Iruka the horrible mission they had completed. Between Deidara and Sasori, they had certainly met their match. Iruka had moved to a chair next to the bed, but hadn't let go of Kakashi's hand since before Sakura had left over an hour ago. It was a small comfort that Kakashi understood. Iruka was probably terrified to hear of Kakashi's condition upon his return, but it couldn't be helped. He was just glad that out of everyone he knew, Iruka was the only person who didn't lecture him for 'going overboard'. His boyfriend understood that he would do absolutely anything required to protect his comrades from harm, and for that he was grateful. 

After a while, Naruto stopped by. It wasn't exactly a pleasant experience since Iruka was determined to hold his hand. On the plus side, Naruto was so confused and freaked out he didn't stay very long. 

Shortly after the blonde boy left, there was a knock on the door. In walked Tsunade, trailed by Shizune. "Brat, how are you feeling?"

"I'd feel better if I wasn't in the hospital." Kakashi half mumbled. Iruka squeezed his fingers slightly, a gentle reminder that this was, in fact, their Hokage. The older woman stared him down intently before speaking again. "I heard the cat's out of the bag, by the way. I'm sure all of Konoha has heard about your relationship by now. Congrats." 

"Yeah… sorry about that, lady Tsunade." Iruka spoke softly, blushing at the memory of his outburst. 

She waved him off, shifting her gaze back to Kakashi. "Here's the deal. In six days, an informant for the Akatsuki will be expected to meet with Sasori. Obviously, you won't be going. I'm still sending your team since Sakura is the only person who has seen Sasori in person enough for us to imitate him. I'm assigning a temporary captain to your team effective immediately."

Kakashi cringed. He didn't trust anyone else to run his team. But before he could voice his opinions, the door opened. His replacement walked in and Kakashi suddenly couldn't breathe anymore. Iruka had noticed the change instantly, looking at him questioningly. 

Across the room stood Tenzo, who Kakashi had only seen twice since leaving Anbu. The tall brunette smiled down at Kakashi, his big brown eyes doing nothing to hide the pleasure of seeing him again. 

"I assume you know each other?" Tsunade asked.

"It's been a long time, Senpai." Tenzo spoke out strongly, continuing to smile. 

Kakashi saw the lightning fast flicker of Tenzo's eyes as they moved down to see his hand still intertwined with Iruka's. If it had been anyone else in that bed, they wouldn't have noticed the hint of confusion in his kohai's eyes. But as it was, Kakashi saw it plain as day. 

"Yes, it has been a long time, Tenzo." Kakashi replied slowly. 

Iruka stiffened at the mention of the name, no doubt remembering the countless stories Kakashi had told him of his partner from Anbu. They weren't exactly… pleasant stories. He looked to his lover, meeting his gaze quickly, and offering him a smile before turning back to the Hokage. 

"I assume you have no objections?" Tsunade pressed, tapping her foot impatiently. 

"No, Lady Tsunade. I trust Tenzo with my life, therefore, I trust him with my team." He spoke calmly. 

Tenzo stood silently, smiling softly down to the floor as he registered Kakashi's praise. Kakashi had always known that Tenzo had a soft spot for his captain. In fact, his kohai had once had a hell of a crush on him. Kakashi could have loved him back easily, but his life as it was then wasn't suitable to try to maintain a relationship. 

Iruka had picked up on their strange relationship quite easily while listening to Kakashi's stories, even asking the jonin if they had ever slept together in the past. They hadn't, of course, but what Kakashi didn't mention was that he had always hoped they would. He had a feeling that Iruka figured that out without him saying anything, though the younger man never brought it up again. 

"I'll leave you to it then." Tsunade said before leaving the room with her assistant. 

Tenzo stayed behind, grabbing a chair from along the wall and dropping it a couple feet from the end of the bed. 

~

The other man dropped down into his chair gracefully, and Iruka couldn't help but stare at him. This was the young boy Kakashi had rescued from Root? All the stories, good and bad, were flooding back. All the info about his past with Orochimaru, his jutsu, and all the assassinations too. This was another man that had grown up lonely and hurting, just like them. 

When the man made eye contact with him, Iruka realized he had been staring. 

"Tenzo, this is Iruka. He is a teacher at the school, and he is my boyfriend." Kakashi announced into the silent room. 

Tenzo stood up swiftly and crossed the room, holding out a hand for the chunin. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Tenzo."

Iruka shook the man's hand. He was strong, very strong. It wasn't hard to see that Tenzo was very sturdy and muscular. "Umino Iruka. I've heard a lot about you." He spoke with a smile. He watched the almond shaped eyes, and it was just like Kakashi had said. The rest of the man's features were stoic and schooled, but if you knew how to read it, all of the man's emotions flickered through his eyes, if only for an instant. Reading Kakashi's eyes had taught him a lot, and what Iruka saw in Tenzo's eyes was that he was worried about all the things Iruka had heard.

The man was back in his chair before Iruka could blink. He had been in Anbu for a very long time, and it showed. Iruka couldn't help but wonder how he was going to act around Naruto. 

No. He couldn't think like that. Kakashi had come from the same sort of training and look what he's done for those kids! Iruka knew better than to discount somebody because of the horrible training in Anbu. 

"Please, Senpai, tell me about your team." Tenzo spoke seriously. All business, just like his lover had said. 

"Maa, Tenzo, I thought we were gonna catch up first. Fine. Sakura is training under Tsunade at the moment, she has a temper but only when it involves Naruto or Sasuke. She is smart, but doesn't have a strong fighting style. Naruto is somewhat unpredictable, has an even bigger temper than Sakura, but has shadow clones and the Rasengan handy." Kakashi rambled.

"Shadow clones and Rasengan? Sounds familiar." Tenzo said with a smirk. Iruka couldn't help but notice that the man's face was very pleasing to the eye. It wasn't a crime to look. In fact, Kakashi and Iruka discussed how attractive they thought other people were all the time, but judging this man felt different because of the complicated history they had.

"Ironically I taught him neither of those. I taught him teamwork." Kakashi replied.

"Ah. Yeah that sounds about right. You are good at that." Tenzo said with a chuckle. "I best be off. We can catch up some other time, Senpai. Iruka Sensei, it was nice to meet you."

And with that, the man disappeared into a cloud of smoke.


	3. Chapter 3

Kakashi's next week in the hospital was miserable. He was exceptionally happy that the academy was on summer break, and Iruka could stay with him. His boyfriend talked for hours, and read to him when he had run out of things to talk about. Kakashi hadn't been allowed to eat for 6 days, and in that time Iruka was a welcome distraction. 

Finally, the seventh day came, and Kakashi woke up to an empty cot. Iruka had been sleeping in his cot, regardless of what looks the nurses would give. Just as he was letting disappointment and sadness seep into his bones, the door swung open, revealing Iruka with several bags of takeout. He held them up, smiling brilliantly. "Guess who has been approved for solid foods!" The teacher half shouted. 

Kakashi chuckled as Iruka brought over a couple trays, helped him sit up, and sat himself on the other end of the bed. He couldn't have been happier with the spread of food Iruka had retrieved. The man really was amazing. 

Finally, Kakashi was allowed to leave the hospital earlier than anticipated. He had a feeling Iruka had talked to Tsunade about it. In either case, he was thrilled. The jonin still had several days of bedrest left, but it was much better to deal with it at home. Besides, he had a new mission. 

Iruka brought him piles of books from the library as he poured through them, trying to find a way to help train Naruto faster. The situation with Gaara had scared both him and Iruka. Gaara was a fantastic shinobi, and yet he had been attacked AND captured right in the middle of a hidden city. How could that even be possible? Naruto needed to improve, and fast. The answer Kakashi needed was finally found in a book written by the second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. When Naruto got back, they had work to do. 

*

Word of the botched mission arrived two days before the team would return home, and Tsunade had made a house call to speak with Kakashi about it. Iruka had been in the room with him as he snapped the spine of the book he was reading in half. The news that he had missed another chance at Sasuke didn't go over well. 

Iruka calmed him down as well as he could, but Kakashi didn't really relax until his team returned home. 

Iruka opened the door to their apartment to find Naruto, Sakura, and another pale kid that had to be Sai. He asked them to sit at the table while he went to retrieve Kakashi, but Naruto stopped him first. 

"Sensei, I gotta ask. Is Kakashi Sensei good for you? He's not exactly the nicest guy." Naruto spoke quietly. 

"Naruto, I appreciate your concern. But if I'm being honest, you don't know the real Kakashi. He is the sweetest, most gentle person I know." Iruka spoke sternly. 

"Alright Sensei, if you say so." The blonde spoke before moving to sit at the table. 

Iruka walked away, slightly annoyed at the accusation that kakashi was anything but good for him. He couldn't stay too mad though. It was nice that Naruto cared about him, after all. 

He reached the bedroom, telling Kakashi about their guests and helping him get dressed. When he was ready, Iruka pulled his pale arm around his shoulder and helped him walk to the kitchen table. Naruto and Sakura looked worried, but Iruka smiled at them in reassurance. 

"Alright, to what do I owe the pleasure of such a sudden visit from my team?" Kakashi asked as Iruka sat next to him. 

"Well… we were worried about you, Sensei. And we wanted to introduce you to our new team member. This is Sai." Sakura spoke. 

"Nice to meet you Sai." Kakashi spoke softly, offering his hand across the table. 

Sai shook his hand briefly. "Kakashi. Nice to meet you."

Iruka watched the exchange, keeping a hand on the back of Kakashi's chair. 

"You must be Kakashi's gay lover." Sai spoke confidently, like it was a perfectly natural thing to say. Iruka stammered, jaw dropped as Sakura punched the kid in the side of the head. Kakashi chuckled sweetly, grabbing Iruka and pulling him into his lap. He wrapped his arms around Iruka's midsection, and nuzzled into his neck. "No need to be embarrassed, Sunshine. He doesn't know any better." Kakashi mumbled into his ear softly. 

Iruka couldn't help but smile. He loved this cheesy man, and he had known ahead of time that Kakashi wouldn't waste any time making up for four years of missed PDAs. He looked across the table, smile faltering when he met the disgusted look on Naruto's face. 

"Yuck. You were right, Iruka Sensei. Guess I don't know him that well." Naruto spoke, dodging a slap from Sakura. "Don't be rude, Naruto! This is their house and they can do what they want."

Kakashi chuckled again from underneath Iruka, bringing the smile back to his face. 

"As you can see, I'm in perfectly good hands here. I will be fine. Now, on to business. Naruto. I hope you are ready to train. I have a plan set up for you to learn a new jutsu." Kakashi spoke, holding Iruka's hands in his own. 

"A NEW JUTSU?! AWESOME! LET'S GO!" Naruto shouted enthusiastically. 

Iruka admired the kid's enthusiasm, even after being through a horrible mission and yet another failure at the hands of Sasuke. 

"Maa, calm down Naruto. I still have another day of bedrest before I can go. Get some good sleep and we will start tomorrow morning." Kakashi spoke calmly. Iruka wasn't all that excited about Kakashi going back to work, but it was a necessary evil in order to get Naruto ready. The kids left, waving their goodbyes and taking off down the street. 

~

Kakashi paced around the room as Iruka aggressively cleaned the apartment. He had summoned Pakkun less than five minutes ago to send a message to Tenzo, and for some reason his nerves were getting to him. 

However guilty he felt about leaving Tenzo behind in Anbu, he needed the man's help with Naruto's training. Iruka had easily picked up on Kakashi's restlessness, and his own anxiety was forcing him to do what Kakashi referred to as "panic cleaning". 

So here they were, Kakashi pacing circles through the living room and Iruka re-cleaning everything he had just cleaned, all because he was nervous about trying to spend time with his kohai. 

The jonin felt crippling guilt when he had left Anbu, and he had almost reached out to Tenzo several times. He had chickened out, of course, and now it had been over three years since they had seen each other. He wouldn't blame Tenzo for hating him, maybe Kakashi even expected it. He had voiced these concerns to Iruka earlier this morning, and the teacher had done his best to reassure him. Now, Kakashi wasn't sure how reassured he should feel when his partner was running around like the Daimyo himself was coming over. 

Two knocks on the door and both men practically jumped out of their skin. Kakashi ran to the door, opening it before Tenzo had even finished his knock. The man stood there for a moment, arm in the air, before awkwardly placing his hand behind his neck. "Ah, Senpai. I got your message. You wanted to see me?" 

"Yes, I hope you weren't busy… I had something I wanted to run by you. Come on inside." Kakashi spoke, somehow calming himself as he showed Tenzo inside. 

Iruka stopped cleaning, smiling at their guest and coming over to welcome him into their home. Kakashi felt his body relax as Iruka swooped in. The man had a calming presence that Kakashi desperately needed. 

He followed Tenzo inside as Iruka showed him to the table. "Would you be interested in some sake, Tenzo?" Iruka asked politely. 

"Sure, thank you." Tenzo replied as he took a seat. Kakashi watched as the wood style user eyeballed the tick-marks on the edges of the table uncomfortably. As Iruka turned his back to get some glasses, Tenzo expelled some of his chakra into the furniture, healing the missing chunks on the poor abused table. 

Kakashi chuckled, and Tenzo realized he was being watched. The man blushed brightly as he made eye-contact with his former captain. Iruka returned, setting the glasses on the table. He noticed immediately, running a delicate tan hand along the edge of the table. "Thank you, Tenzo. I'm afraid I do a lot of damage to this poor thing when I'm grading papers." 

Kakashi watched as Tenzo stammered and tried to form a response. Clearly, he hadn't expected Iruka to know about his jutsu. 

"Sorry, I uh… I probably should have asked first." He finally managed to say. Iruka looked up, confused. Kakashi understood, though. Tenzo was not used to being appreciated for his jutsu. Using it was just expected of him, not something anyone ever thanked him for. In fact, Kakashi was fairly certain he had been the only person to ever show him some appreciation. 

Iruka moved around the table quickly, placing a reassuring hand on Tenzo's shoulder. "No, thank you. I appreciate it." 

Tenzo flinched slightly from the contact, but settled immediately. 

Iruka returned to sit next to Kakashi, and the jonin offered him a smile. He was thankful to have such a loving boyfriend who could see straight through Tenzo's insecurity. The man had led a lonely life, even lonelier than Kakashi's had ever been. 

"So, Senpai, you had a question for me?" Tenzo asked, breaking the comfortable silence. 

"Ah, yes. I was hoping you would be willing to help me out with a training program I have lined up for Naruto. It's going to be intense, and he is going to be expending a lot of chakra. I need you there to help me control the ninetails." Kakashi stated, before removing his mask to take a drink of sake. He could feel Iruka's eyes on him, but Tenzo had already seen his face a long time ago. There was no point in being modest about it now. 

"Of course I can help. I'm not going on missions unless Naruto is anyway. I might as well." Tenzo answered with a shrug, emptying his own glass. 

After that, they had a good night exchanging stories. Tenzo had quite a few embarrassing ones that Kakashi had hoped Iruka would never hear. He returned the favor, with plenty of embarrassing moments for his poor kohai. All of Kakashi's anxiety washed away as the night went on. 

Eventually, they had to call it a night, seeing as they were training in the morning. Iruka, being the only one that didn't have to actually work in the morning, had drank much more than Kakashi had expected. When they walked Tenzo out the door, the teacher shocked their guest by pulling him into a hug. Iruka had always been the type of person to hug his friends, and Kakashi couldn't help but be amused at the surprised expression on his kohai's face.

"Thanks for coming over, Tenzo! We're gonna be best friends now." Iruka spoke happily. 

Kakashi laughed as Tenzo sat there, eyes wide, arms to his side. The man clearly didn't know if he should be returning the hug or not. Kakashi tapped Iruka's shoulder. "Head to bed, Sweetheart. I'll be there in a minute." 

Iruka released Tenzo and turned, placing a sweet kiss to Kakashi's cheek. "Yes, Dear, see you inside." 

When Iruka left, Tenzo released the breath he had been holding. Kakashi laughed again. "You had better hug him back next time. He will be offended if he's not drunk."

Tenzo sputtered. "He's going to hug me again?!"

"Yeah. He likes hugs. I've found I quite like them too." Kakashi answered with a shrug. "He doesn't like leaving people to be lonely." 

"Oh. I'm just not used to that I guess." Tenzo spoke quietly. "I'm happy for you though… you seem to have found yourself a nice guy. You clearly are so much happier than you were before." 

"I am, actually." Kakashi replied with a smile on his face. "Turns out in order to be happy I had to actually let someone in. It's not as scary as I thought." 

Tenzo smiled. "I'd better go. Thanks for the sake and the laughs. See you in the morning, Senpai."

Kakashi gave him a small wave, smiling as he disappeared into a small puff of smoke. 

Later, as Kakashi snuggled with a mostly-drunk and definitely naked Iruka, he finally accepted that Tenzo wasn't angry with him at all. 

"I like Tenzo. He's a nice guy. I just wish he wasn't lonely. Let's make sure there's not another three year gap in visits." Iruka mumbled into Kakashi's chest.

"Ok, Sunshine, whatever you want." Kakashi answered, kissing the top of his lover's head. 

~

Iruka rose with the sun the next morning. He was slightly surprised he didn't have a hangover, but then again he had always handled his alcohol very well. He made his way to the kitchen to prepare some eggs for breakfast and to pack a nice lunch for training. 

Kakashi dragged himself out of the bedroom a short time after, his ruffled hair sitting in an adorable bird's nest on his head. Iruka giggled as Kakashi dropped his head onto the table, his boyfriend sleepily mumbling something along the lines of "too early" into the wood. 

Iruka had always been a morning person. If the sun was up, he was up. Kakashi had to be pulled out of bed half the time, and the other half he only left the bed to find where Iruka had gone off to, almost always complaining that he was cold. 

He served up the eggs, setting a plate quietly next to his boyfriend's head. Kakashi sniffed the air from where he was on the table before pulling himself up to eat the offering. 

After eating breakfast, packing sandwiches, and practically having to dress Kakashi himself, Iruka had them both out the door and on the way to the area they were going to train in. 

The walk through town was different. It was really the first time they had left the apartment together since Kakashi had been hospitalized. Heads turned as they walked by, some of them very clearly judging the couple. 

Iruka dropped his gaze to the ground, regretting his outburst at the hospital. Kakashi's fingers found his and pulled the teacher closer. "Don't let it bother you… those people don't understand what we have." Kakashi said sweetly, interlocking their hands. Iruka smiled, looking into the eyes of the man he loved. 

They walked outside of the village and into the forest, making their way through shrubs and trees until they reached a large field. Naruto was already there waiting impatiently. "Wow Kakashi Sensei you are actually on time!"

Kakashi waved him off. "Let's get started."

"Is Iruka Sensei training me too?" Naruto asked with excitement. 

"No. The Sensei is here because he doesn't believe I can train you without landing myself back in the hospital." Kakashi joked, earning himself a light slap from Iruka. 

Iruka settled on a stump, listening intently as Kakashi attempted to explain his shadow clone training regiment to the clueless blonde. Eventually, they made it to chakra natures. Kakashi showed Naruto his lightning nature by sending his chakra through the specialized paper. 

Iruka watched as Naruto discovered his wind property and smiled at the boy's excitement. 

"Iruka Sensei, what chakra nature do you have?" Naruto asked, running over to him with the chakra paper. 

Iruka laughed, grabbed a paper from him and sent his chakra through it. The paper soaked itself as Iruka revealed his water nature. 

"Whoa, that's totally cool!" The young boy replied, running back to Kakashi. Kakashi continued his explanation as Tenzo jumped into the field.

"What's captain Tenzo doing here?" Naruto asked, a little rudely if Iruka was being honest. Kakashi explained the deal to him, and Naruto flustered the Anbu by asking about his chakra nature. The series of faces the brunette went through could only be described as adorable, and Iruka laughed as Tenzo struggled with what he wanted to say. 

Tenzo began his explanation, erupting a giant cliff side out of nothing, and added a cascading waterfall over it. Iruka's jaw dropped at the incredible display of power. He could do water jutsu, sure enough, but for someone to create something that huge with no water source was simply amazing. His admiration of the man was interrupted as a sequence of trees sprang out from the side of the cliff. The jutsu was unlike anything Iruka had ever seen, and he was overly aware of the fact he was staring, eyes wide and mouth hanging open. Kakashi had described it to him in great detail… but this was completely out of the range of what Iruka had pictured. He felt his boyfriend's eyes on him, and he managed to peel his gaze away to meet Kakashi's knowing smile. 

"Amazing, isn't it?" He stated simply. Iruka nodded slowly, still mystified as Tenzo returned down to ground level. 

The day continued on, with Naruto trying to use his chakra to slice through a leaf, and Tenzo sitting amidst a circle of giant wooden pillars. The man's concentration was astounding, and Iruka was glad Kakashi wasn't really doing anything. Iruka sat on the ground with his legs crossed while Kakashi used his lap as a pillow, the tell-tale orange cover of icha-icha up by his face. Iruka watched Naruto intensely, his fingers absentmindedly running through Kakashi's hair by his ear. 

"Oi, Naruto. Let's take a breather. Collect your thoughts and let's stop for lunch." Kakashi suddenly called out from his lap. Naruto broke his shadow clone jutsu, and Tenzo finally was able to drop his arm and relax. 

All four ninjas sat in a circle, conversing as Iruka handed sandwiches to Kakashi and Naruto. He looked to Tenzo, spotting the man lifting a food pill to his mouth. 

"If you eat that, I swear I will hit you." Iruka spoke quickly. Tenzo froze, food pill half in his mouth and dark eyes shifting to meet his. 

"I had a feeling you were going to try to live on food pills, so I made you lunch." Iruka said with a smile on his face, placing a couple sandwiches in front of the wood user. 

"Oh. Uh… it's okay Iruka, I don't mind food pills." Tenzo stammered out. 

Iruka put on the nicest face he could manage before speaking again. "Eat some real food please, I don't want to have to force-feed you." He spoke with a smile. Kakashi giggled next to him, his first sandwich miraculously gone. 

"Tenzo, you better eat that. He's serious. Besides, food pills are for missions. Technically, this isn't a mission." Kakashi reasoned with the stubborn Anbu. 

Tenzo sighed, putting the food pill back into his supply pouch and accepting the sandwiches. "Thanks, Iruka. I appreciate it." 

At the end of the night, the training was finally done. Naruto broke his jutsu again and Tenzo lowered a shaky arm. Iruka watched the exhausted man slump over. Managing someone else's chakra must be exhausting, Iruka thought. 

At Iruka's insistence, the couple walked Tenzo back to his apartment before turning towards their own home.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here, Enjoy a short bonus chapter of solid smuttyness. The rest of the smut wont be in it's own chapters, fair warning.

The walk home from Tenzo's apartment was peaceful. The weather was nice, and nobody was around. 

"You're a good friend, helping walk Tenzo home." Iruka spoke suddenly.

Kakashi arched his brow and looked to his lover. "But it was your idea." 

"Yeah, but you didn't have to go." Iruka answered him. 

Kakashi slumped a little as he walked. The truth was that he had never been a good friend to Tenzo. All through their years in Anbu together he had picked on him, conned him into paying for meals, and forced him to do all the paperwork. He had essentially bullied the man, and Tenzo had still followed him around like a lost puppy. 

"What are you thinking about?" Iruka asked softly. 

"Ah, just thinking about what a terrible friend I was." Kakashi answered sullenly. 

"What do you mean?" Iruka asked, taking Kakashi's hand. 

"I mean I was a jerk to Tenzo when I was in Anbu. We were so close, but I basically abused his admiration of me. I made him do all of our reports, pay for all of my food… hell, I even made him cook meals for me himself. I just… I wish I had done it differently. But I think I was a little too scared to let him get that close to me. I didn't talk to ANYONE then, not even Gai." Kakashi explained thoughtfully, staring down at the pavement as they walked. 

"Well it's not too late to be a good friend to him." Iruka mused. 

"Hm. I suppose not. I should apologize for all the shit I put him through. I don't know how he can still stand to be near me after all of that, or how he still managed to be friends with me pushing him away non-stop." Kakashi spoke again, turning to look at Iruka. "You make me a better person, Iruka." 

"I know." The chunin said with a smirk. Kakashi chuckled, bumping the younger man with his hip. When Iruka regained his balance, his bumped kakashi back, almost sending him flying. 

Kakashi giggled, springing back to Iruka's side, grabbing his shoulders and spinning the teacher to face him. The mask was gone, and Kakashi kissed Iruka passionately. 

Before he knew it, Iruka had Kakashi up against the side of a building, arms held up over his head with one bronze hand. Kakashi moaned softly as Iruka snaked his hand up his shirt, teasing a pink nipple until it was hard. 

The change in the atmosphere was abrupt, but it had been since before Kakashi's last mission since they had sex, and Kakashi had missed it. Iruka had refused to get down and dirty while Kakashi was still on bedrest, not that the smooth talking jonin hadn't tried his damndest. 

Kakashi writhed against Iruka's teasing. Could he break the hold on his wrist? Absolutely. But what fun would that be? Iruka growled, releasing his hands to sink down to his knees. The area they were in was secluded, but open enough to add a sense of danger that Kakashi found extremely hot. Heat pooled in his stomach as Iruka ripped his pants open and pulled out his erection, wasting no time in swallowing it to the hilt. Kakashi moaned deeply as Iruka's nose dug into his pelvis, reaching down to grab hold of some of his brown hair. 

"Ahhhh Iruka, I've missed you." Kakashi spoke out into the chilly night air. The chunin hummed softly, sending sweet vibrations to Kakashi's core. 

The warm mouth on his cock moved, sucking it's way back to the tip as it went, drawing noises out of Kakashi that he would never admit to making. 

It wasn't long before Kakashi was close, feeling his body shake and tense as his release drew closer to the edge. Then, Iruka pulled away with a soft 'pop', and left the wet member out in the cold. Kakashi whined as Iruka stood up again, capturing the pink lips with his own. 

Kakashi growled. "That's not very nice, Sensei. You must be looking for some punishment."

"And what if I am? What will you do?" Iruka spoke, one eyebrow arched in a challenge. "Are you going to punish this naughty Sensei?" 

Kakashi growled again, this time much louder as he signed a jutsu to land them back in their bedroom. He threw the teacher down on the bed, crawling over him possessively and leaning into his neck. "Tell me what you want, Iruka."

Iruka gasped, running his hands through Kakashi's hair. "I want you to punish me until I can't walk."

"Iruka… it's been a couple weeks. If I'm rough with you…" Kakashi breathed into his ear. 

"I know. I don't care. Make me hurt so bad that I can feel you all through work tomorrow." Iruka whispered, dragging his nails down the pale skin on his back. Kakashi shuddered, driving his hips down into Iruka's. 

Iruka cried out, the tension built over the last week of Kakashi's advances finally coming full force. 

Kakashi stripped him of his clothes, flipping him to his hands and knees with his face shoved into the mattress. Two calloused pale fingers were inside his tight hole before he could blink. Kakashi smirked. His speed often worked to his advantage, and it showed with Iruka's moans and cries. Kakashi leaned in, biting into the soft flesh of Iruka's ass hard enough to break the skin a bit. "Ah!" Iruka cried out sharply, his voice laced with pain and pleasure. 

Kakashi was well aware of what Iruka enjoyed, and he was more than willing to give Iruka a little pain if he was rewarded with the delicious moans he loved. He pumped his fingers in and out roughly, forcing in a third lubed finger as soon as Iruka was ready. 

It wasn't long before Kakashi pulled out, smacking Iruka's cheek as he went. Iruka didn't have time to brace himself before Kakashi had him on his back and pushed himself in. He didn't wait for the teacher to adjust to his swollen erection before he moved. Iruka cried out sharply, the pained hissing dragging out into a moan. Kakashi dug his fingers into Iruka's hips, hard enough that there would be bruises in the morning, using the leverage to pull Iruka into his thrusts. 

Iruka's body was bent in half, his legs lifted up towards his head as his lover pounded into him. "Kakashi!" Iruka shouted as he came all over his stomach. 

The tight clenching around his groin sent Kakashi over the edge, his final thrusts sputtering to a halt as he moved Iruka's legs to lay on him. 

"Kakashi, that was amazing." Iruka said softly, rubbing the jonin's shoulders. 

Kakashi growled softly. "Don't get too comfortable. I'm not done with you yet, Sensei."

Iruka laughed as Kakashi flipped them over, still attached at the waist. "Mmm. I AM a glutton for punishment, after all."


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More happenings in the relationship. Iruka has his first day back at work since Kakashi was in the hospital, and we get our first glimpse inside of Tenzo's head

For the first time in a long time, Kakashi woke before Iruka. He couldn't blame the chunin for his late start. Kakashi had worn him out when they had returned to the apartment. He smiled over at his partner, running a hand over the scar on the tan back. Iruka woke slowly, mumbling his good morning to Kakashi and rolling onto his back. 

"Good morning, Sunshine. I gotta go train. Don't be late for work. See you at lunch time?" Kakashi spoke softly. 

"Yeah. My shift ends at noon so I will bring you guys lunch. Don't let Tenzo eat any food pills." Iruka mumbled, rubbing his tired eyes. 

Kakashi laughed. Iruka had always been such a worrywart. He cared so much about his friends. Kakashi had always admired that about him. Perhaps it reminded him of Obito? He wasn't sure. All he knew was that this wonderful man was the light of his life. "Don't worry. He will starve before I let him eat a single food pill." 

Iruka chuckled lightly, rolling out of bed and wandering through the apartment wearing nothing but a messy ponytail. Kakashi admired the firm backside as the man walked away, bite mark and all, wondering what he could have done to deserve someone like Iruka. 

Kakashi moved swiftly to the training area. He hadn't realized how excited he was to spend more time with Tenzo. Even though the situation was completely different, things felt like they were going back to the way they were before. This time, however, Kakashi was as happy as he could possibly be. He wanted to be a real friend, the one he should have been before. 

He was happy to see that Naruto had not yet arrived, but Tenzo had arrived early as usual. He walked up to the Anbu, hands in his pockets. "Good morning, Tenzo. How are you feeling today?"

Tenzo looked over, confusion written clearly in his face. "Uuh… I'm fine." His eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why? What do you need?"

The answer made Kakashi's heart drop. He slouched down, disappointment clear on his face. "Tenzo, look. I know I was a shitty friend before. I took you for granted and treated you like my personal assistant." He raised his hand to stop Tenzo's oncoming protest. "It's true. Don't try to deny it. But I'm a different person than I was in Anbu. I'm happy now. I'm capable of being a good friend to you, and I intend to do exactly that. I'm sorry for how it all went before, I regret it every day. Do you… think we could start again?" He asked hopefully, watching as Tenzo mulled over his words. 

Several emotions played over Tenzo's features. Confusion, happiness, and sadness all making an appearance. This was the most open Kakashi had ever been with the man, and he knew it was the only way Tenzo would take him seriously. 

"Senpai, I…" Tenzo paused, looking down to the ground with furrowed brows. The suspense was starting to make Kakashi nervous, and he started to fidget, staring down at his hands. Maybe Tenzo was angry with him after all, had he misread the signs?

"Kakashi." Tenzo said sternly, drawing Kakashi's attention back from his fingers.   
Tenzo smiled, and Kakashi couldn't help but smile back. 

"Stop fidgeting. Of course I would love to be friends with you, for real this time." He said with a smile. 

Perhaps he HAD spent too much time with Iruka, because before he could stop himself he had crossed the distance in his excitement and pulled Tenzo in for a hug. He felt the other man's apprehension, his arms just hanging out into the air, and silently wondered if he had ever hugged anyone properly before. He released the man, retreating back a few steps and smiling. 

"Don't worry, Tenzo. Before long Iruka will have taught you how to properly hug someone, just like he did for me." He said, running a hand through his silver hair. 

"I can certainly tell he has been a good influence on you. I'm glad you have someone like that." Tenzo spoke softly.

Kakashi was smiling like an idiot. He was insanely happy. His best friend was back in his life and he had the best boyfriend he could ever ask for. Without thinking, he spoke again. "You will have someone like that someday too."

Tenzo's face fell, the smile quickly disappearing from his face as he spoke quietly. "No. I don't think I will. I'm a little too far from normal life for that. What person would be interested in someone like me? I'm just a glorified assassin with no name and no clan." The words were so quiet that Kakashi wouldn't have heard them if it wasn't for his superior hearing. He crossed the distance again, placing a hand on each of Tenzo's biceps. "Don't ever say that again. You are one of the best people I've ever met in my life. All it's going to take is for someone to give you a chance, and they will have no choice but to fall in love with you. There's more to life than clans and names, Tenzo. I promise you that."

"Yeah that's easy to say when you have a clan." Tenzo answered.

"You mean the clan that I'm effectively ending by being with Iruka? I can't exactly produce an heir with him. The name means nothing to me, only Iruka does. In fact, I believe the Umino clan will be dead with us as well. A name means nothing, Tenzo." Kakashi replied truthfully, pulling the man in for another hug. 

For the first time, Tenzo hugged him back. His strong arms wrapped around Kakashi and squeezed. His extreme sense of smell drowned in the smell of pine as he continued embracing the younger man. 

"Gross! Does Iruka Sensei know that you are a slut?" Naruto's loud voice rang out into the open. The men quickly separated, with Kakashi providing damage control. 

"It's not like that, Naruto. We are just friends." He lectured the boy sternly. 

"Friends that hug?" Naruto questioned, a smirk on his face. 

"Have you not seen Iruka hugging almost everyone in Konoha?" Kakashi answered smoothly. 

Naruto's smirk left his face. "Fair enough."

With that settled, they got to work on their training. 

~

Iruka was miserable at work. The mission desk was busy, and it seemed that all of Konoha had heard about his relationship. The hours were filled with sideways glancing and half-hidden questions. 'Are you seeing anyone?' 'Anything exciting going on in your life?' 

No one had ever asked him these questions before. Now, everyone was oh so interested in his life. It was all too much. The only good thing about this day was that his chair was extra soft, and his sore rear end wasn't too bad because of it. His irritation rose as even his coworkers whispered off to the side, glancing over between sentences. 

The straw that broke the camel's back was Genma. He worked the mid-shift at the desk, starting at 10 am. He walked up smoothly, a smirk on his face. "So, Hatake huh? He must be pretty good in bed for you to stick it out with him." 

Iruka couldn't hold back. He punched the man in the face, knocking him out of his chair. The room went silent as Iruka stood to address the crowd. 

"LISTEN UP, BECAUSE I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE." He yelled out, satisfied that he had everyone's attention. "Yes. Me and Kakashi are dating, and we HAVE been for almost FOUR YEARS." He scanned the room, smirking at the visible shock on so many so-called 'elite' operatives. "I love him, and he loves me. No, I won't talk about our personal life, and no, I'm not going to tell you what his face looks like." For the next sentence, he stared down at Genma, who was pouting on the floor. "And if ANYONE says ANYTHING insulting about my boyfriend, anything AT ALL, you will receive something far worse than what Genma just did." He sat back in his seat, content that he had gotten his point across. "WHO'S NEXT?" 

The line moved a lot quicker after that, with everyone wanting to stay clear of the personal subjects from earlier. Even Genma was being professional, as shocking as that was. When noon rolled around, he practically bounced out of the office to go pick up lunch. 

After his quick stop at Ichiraku's, he made his way through the forest to spend the rest of the day with his favorite people. 

Sure enough, about 100 Naruto clones were working on cutting through leaves. Kakashi was reading on what appeared to be a nicely crafted bench, and Tenzo was sitting in his circle of pillars. 

He walked up to the bench first, leaning over the back and placing a kiss to Kakashi's exposed eye. 

"How did work go?" Kakashi asked, sitting up. 

"I guess the word I'm going to use is 'interesting'." Iruka answered, moving to sit on the bench next to his boyfriend. 

"Hm. Interesting?" Kakashi questioned lightly. 

"Yeah. People were very insistent on asking about us." Iruka mused softly. 

"And I'm sure you set them straight." Kakashi said with a chuckle. 

Iruka laughed, thinking about the situation. "Well, I punched Genma in the face and yelled at a whole room full of ninjas." 

Kakashi chuckled deeply. "That's more like it." He took advantage of Naruto's distraction to pull his mask down and kiss Iruka deeply. 

"Also, my ass is still super sore from last night." Kakashi chuckled lightly. "I'm glad you had something to remember me by." The mask went back up, and Kakashi yelled to Naruto. 

"Oi! It's time for lunch!" The jonin yelled loudly. 

"I brought lunch for you too, Tenzo, so don't even think about bringing out a food pill." Iruka lectured loudly. 

"Don't worry. Kakashi already warned me against that. Besides, I wouldn't want to end up like Genma." Tenzo said, breaking his concentration to smirk at the teacher. 

Iruka blushed. He didn't know Tenzo could hear them talking from over there. Judging by the fact that Kakashi was suddenly giggling, he had known the Anbu had sensitive ears as well. Great.

They gathered in a circle again, Naruto cheering as Iruka passed out the to-go bowls of ramen. Before long, Sakura and Sai called out to Naruto from the forest, and the boy ditched the adults to eat with his peers. 

Iruka mused to himself in the comfortable silence. Last night, Kakashi had expressed some concerns about how he had treated Tenzo. He knew the plan was for Kakashi to be a better friend, and he wondered how well that had been going. 

"Sensei, you're thinking too loud." Kakashi spoke softly, taking advantage of Naruto's absence to eat with his mask down, dragging Iruka out of his thoughts to see both men staring at him. 

Kakashi stared at him, clearly waiting for an explanation that Iruka didn't want to give in front of Tenzo. 

As per usual, his boyfriend read his mind. "I talked to him. You don't need to worry so much, everything is fine." 

Iruka looked to Tenzo, who was now blushing, before looking back to his lover. "Good. I'm glad." 

"I even forced him into a hug… twice!" Kakashi said with a smile. 

Iruka laughed, enjoying the fact that Tenzo's blush had gotten even brighter. "You'd better slow down with the hugging, you're likely to give someone a heart attack. Who would've thought that the copy ninja could be such a softie!" Iruka joked as Kakashi gave him a lighthearted slap on the leg. 

"It WAS rather shocking." Tenzo added, laughing at Kakashi's mock pouting. "It was nice though. I've gotten more hugs in the last two days than I have my whole life!" He said with a laugh. Kakashi laughed as well, taking it as the joke it was meant to be, but the words just made Iruka sad. 

"Maa, Sensei, don't be sad. He was just joking around." Kakashi spoke softly. 

"Iruka, you don't need to worry about me, I'm perfectly fine." Tenzo added, a gentleness to his voice that Iruka had never heard. 

"Okay, but if you ever feel like you want some company… you can hang out with us any time. We always enjoy our time with you." Iruka replied, smiling weakly. 

Tenzo chuckled. "Alright. But I'm definitely still knocking. I don't even want to see what you guys do when no one is around." 

"You'd be missing out on a hell of a show." Kakashi said with a smirk, causing both brunettes to turn red. 

When lunch was over, it was back to training. Tenzo extended one half of the bench so Iruka could sprawl out while Kakashi laid in his lap. The wooden bench was shockingly comfortable, and Iruka spent a good five minutes complimenting Tenzo on his work. 

At the end of the night, Naruto let up his jutsu one last time and Tenzo collapsed on the ground. Iruka jumped over, leaning over the Anbu to check on him. Tenzo looked up to him, his eyes barely open, and smiled. "I'm alright, Sensei. I just need some rest."

Tenzo didn't make the walk home without collapsing again. Iruka and Kakashi both supported him from either side, carrying him into his small apartment. They laid the barely-conscious man out on his bed, and Iruka moved up to take a look at his shoulder. Green chakra spread from his palms as he gently massaged the skin on Tenzo's arm. The man resisted, but stopped quickly as Iruka threatened him and Kakashi reassured him. The man's eyes were closed as he finally succumbed to his exhaustion and fell asleep. 

The jonin glanced up to Iruka, an arm behind his neck nervously. "Do you think we should help him change?" 

"Yeah, probably." Iruka answered without hesitation. "Look and see if he has some pajamas." 

Kakashi supplied a green pair of lounge pants from in the dresser. Together, the couple managed to get Tenzo changed and tucked into his bed. Iruka left him a glass of water on his nightstand, and the pair left, locking the door on their way out. 

~

Tenzo woke slowly the next morning. His shoulder felt shockingly good as he stretched in his bed. He looked down, surprised to see he was wearing pajamas. It had been many years since he had slept in anything other than boxers. He struggled to remember the final events from last night. 

He vaguely recalled fainting after he released his jutsu. Tenzo's mind slowly recalled his memories as he pieced it together. He remembered Iruka, leaning over him with the sun setting behind him. The man was beautiful, with a halo of sunlight framing the tan face, and entrancing eyes full of genuine concern. A pang of guilt flowed through him as he realized how enamoured he had become with the chunin. 

The whole day had been strange. It all had started with Kakashi's startling confession. Why did that stir up such horrific feelings in his bones? Long ago, he had loved the man. He was sure of it then, just as he was now. But he was supposed to have been over that once Kakashi had left Anbu. He had moved on, became the captain of his own team, and had tried to forget about the copy ninja. What happened? One heartfelt conversation and two hugs later, and he was back exactly where he was before. Only this time, there was more. Iruka was in the picture now, and it was no wonder Kakashi had fallen for him. The man was probably the kindest person in all of Konoha. 

What was he going to do? He'd only been out in the general population for three weeks and he was already in love with two people, both of whom were already in a relationship together. He looked to his table, seeing the glass of water that had been left for him. The heat of a blush crawled up his face as his mind finally made the connections. Someone else had changed him into pajama pants and put him to bed. 

He sat on the edge of the bed, holding his head in his hands, shame flowing through him freely as he tried to figure out what he was going to do. Luckily, the question was answered for him as a bird tapped on his window. Perfect. A mission was exactly what he needed to clear his head. He jumped up to get ready and left for Hokage tower.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm getting too excited about posting this so I decided to post another chapter today. Enjoy! Let me know what you think!

It had been a week since Tenzo and team 7 had left on a mission. Iruka could tell that Kakashi had missed the training. 

When they returned, the celebration was short-lived. Team 10 had also returned, without Asuma. Kakashi didn't say much, but Iruka knew he was hurting. Iruka wasn't surprised when he had volunteered to leave with them. 

He roamed the city aimlessly, trying not to let himself get too down. He always hated when Kakashi left, but this was different. These people had taken down Asuma, and nearly the rest of team 10 in the process. Iruka's eyes watered as he walked, hands in his pockets and eyes down. 

"Iruka? Are you alright?"

Iruka looked up to see Tenzo, eyes full of worry. He rubbed away any tears that lingered before answering, trying to compose himself. 

"Yes, I am. Just a little worried is all." He said softly. 

"I figured... I saw them leave earlier. Would you like to grab some lunch with me? I was just heading out for some bbq." Tenzo asked softly. 

Iruka nodded, trying to force out a smile through all his worry. It didn't work. Tenzo surprised him by reaching out and pulling him into a hug. Iruka grabbed the sides of the green jonin vest and buried his face in Tenzo's chest. He tried not to cry, he really did. But the warm comfort of Tenzo's hug got to him. 

"Maybe we should go eat at my house instead." Tenzo said as he released Iruka from his grasp. 

"That's probably for the best, seeing as my body is determined to embarrass me today." Iruka mumbled. 

Tenzo moved his hands so fast, almost as fast as Kakashi, and before Iruka knew it they had been zapped into Tenzo's apartment. 

"Kakashi must do that often if you handle it so well." Tenzo spoke with a chuckle. 

Iruka attempted a laugh, but a sob clawed its way out of Iruka's throat. Tenzo froze, clearly unsure of what to do. "I'm sorry, Tenzo. Maybe I should just go home." 

"No! I mean… don't. You don't need to be alone." Tenzo's brow furrowed as the man was trying to find the right words to say. "You're my friend now, too. And I can't allow you to hide away by yourself." 

Iruka moved forward, wrapping his arms around Tenzo's middle for another hug, desperate for reassurance. The Anbu hugged him again, laying his face on top of Iruka's hair. "He's going to be okay, you know. Kakashi is the greatest fighter I've ever seen."

When Iruka was finally able to calm down, Tenzo left him sitting on the couch while he went to prepare lunch. 

With the tears gone and a belly full of soup, Iruka finally started to relax. Iruka told his stories of Naruto, and Tenzo told some of his own. The man's voice was smooth like honey, and Iruka decided he could listen to him talk for hours. 

When Tenzo brought out the sake, the laughing began. They were like children, giggling at every dumb joke, and sometimes at nothing at all. 

When the sun set, both men were drunk. The thought of going home to his empty bed brought Iruka to tears again. So when a drunk Tenzo offered to let him sleep over, he accepted immediately. They laughed and giggled as they each crawled into the bed, both wearing a shirt and a pair of Tenzo's pajama pants. 

Iruka woke to the sound of tapping. He was snuggled up to a warm back, his arms trapped in between. He took a deep breath, then froze. This wasn't Kakashi. The body in front of him tensed as the tapping continued, and Tenzo jumped out of bed, his back and palms against the wall. His almond eyes were wide as saucers as he stared at Iruka. The Anbu scanned himself, seemingly relieved to find clothes on his body. His eyes went to the window, and Iruka looked as well. A crow was outside, tapping on the glass. 

Tenzo exhaled loudly, drawing Iruka's attention back. 

"Uh… Iruka, sorry. I must've been pretty drunk last night to think that this was okay. I have a mission from the Hokage, so I need to go. We will have to talk about this later. Could you please do me a favor?" Tenzo asked calmly. 

"Uh… sure. What do you need?" Iruka asked nervously. 

"When you tell Kakashi about this, try to convince him not to kill me." He stated plainly before taking his uniform into the other room. 

By the time Iruka pushed himself off the bed and into the other room, Tenzo was gone. 

~*

Team Kakashi and Team 10 trudged home, having avenged Asuma and killed two akatsuki members. When they entered the village gates, Kakashi was happy to see Iruka waiting for him. He looked back to dismiss his team, and noticed immediately that Tenzo was already gone. Strange. 

With the kids off to their respective homes, Kakashi was finally able to return his full attention to his boyfriend. The look in Iruka's eyes wasn't good, and Kakashi's anxiety skyrocketed. "What's wrong?" He asked quietly.

"We should probably talk at home." Iruka stated plainly. Kakashi's heart raced as he signed the fastest transportation jutsu he'd ever managed. 

"I'm just gonna go ahead and start by saying that nothing happened." Iruka spoke as he paced around the living room. 

"Oh is that why you are freaking out? Because nothing happened?" Kakashi smirked, just happy that no one had died. 

Iruka's words spilled out before he could stop them. "I was wandering around, worrying about you, when I bumped into Tenzo. We were gonna get lunch but I kept crying, so we went to his house instead. We ate and got drunk together, telling stories and stuff. But then I started freaking out about going home to an empty bed, and somehow that ended with me sleeping in Tenzo's bed with him. But nothing happened! I swear! It's not Tenzo's fault!" 

"Whoa, whoa. Just breathe, Iruka. You didn't have sex with him?" Kakashi asked bluntly, holding both arms out to stop Iruka's pacing.

"No. I didn't. But when I woke up, I may have been… huddled up against his back." Iruka replied, shame forcing him to stare at the ground. 

Kakashi reached forward, pulling his lover into his arms. "Iruka, stop freaking out. None of that is a big deal to me. I'm not mad."

"You aren't?" Iruka mumbled into Kakashi's chest.

"Nope. Not even close." The older man replied. 

"Well… Tenzo asked me for a favor before he left." Iruka spoke softly. 

"Hm? And what would that be?" 

"He asked me to convince you not to kill him when I told you. I guess I don't have to worry about that." Iruka chuckled lightly. 

Kakashi laughed. "I guess that's why he disappeared so quickly after the mission. I suppose I should probably go talk to him."

When Kakashi arrived at Tenzo's apartment, it was empty. He wandered on rooftops, sending his chakra out to look for his friend. Tenzo's chakra was barely noticeable, as if he was trying to conceal it. Kakashi chuckled to himself as he pulled his own chakra in close. 

When he dropped down in front of Tenzo, the man jumped in surprise, his eyes blown wide with panic. 

"Oi, Tenzo. I get the feeling you are avoiding me." Kakashi spoke seriously, purposefully worrying the younger man. 

"I uh… well…" Tenzo stammered out a half response before Kakashi raised his hand to stop him. 

"Tenzo, let's talk." He spoke before whisking them both away to Tenzo's apartment. 

When they landed, Tenzo moved away from Kakashi quickly, preparing himself to be punched. "Kakashi, I'm sorry! I don't know what the hell I was thinking!"

Kakashi interrupted him before he got too worked up. "Tenzo, calm down. I'm not angry."

The other man looked confused. "You're not?"

Kakashi chuckled. "No. I was just messing with you a little. I'm sorry… that was mean." The jonin moved closer, and Tenzo stiffened up again. "Tenzo, I want to say thank you… for being there for Iruka. It means a lot to me that you would do something like that, and it meant a lot to Iruka too. You really are a good friend."

Tenzo frowned. He was staring at Kakashi, probably trying to figure out if he was being serious. Kakashi decided to help him out a little, and dropped his mask to smile at him. He moved the last foot and a half, hugging the man once again.

"You're getting better at hugs." Kakashi chuckled as Tenzo placed his arms around his back. Tenzo snorted. "You guys haven't exactly given me a choice in that."

Suddenly Kakashi pulled back, his hands resting on Tenzo's shoulders as he locked eyes with him. "Do you… want us to stop? I don't want to make you uncomfortable."

"No… you were right. I've decided they aren't so bad." Tenzo replied sheepishly. 

Kakashi smiled, happy that his friend was adjusting to human contact. "I suppose I'd better get back home before Iruka sends out a search party."

Tenzo laughed again and said his goodbye, seeing Kakashi off in a puff of smoke. 

~

That night, there were three statements made that moved Iruka's mind into a strange place. When Kakashi returned from his talk with Tenzo, he was all smiles and snuggles, just the way Iruka liked it. 

The first, was when Kakashi informed him excitedly that they didn't have to stop giving Tenzo hugs. "He says he likes them now, so we don't ever have to stop." Kakashi spilled out, his eye crinkling as he smiled brightly. 

The second one came later, when they had laid down to talk in bed.

"I'm glad you weren't mad at Tenzo and I." Iruka mused softly, propping himself up on an elbow to look at his boyfriend. 

"I couldn't be mad at you two, I love you too much." Kakashi laughed lightly, moving in to nuzzle Iruka's nose. 

The third statement came in the form of a joke. 

"I'm glad he was there for you. You can stay over there anytime you want and it won't bother me. I don't mind sharing with my kohai!" Kakashi jested, winking at Iruka. 

Iruka's mind reeled. Kakashi's words were always purposeful, and precise like a scalpel. Was he hinting at something? Did he actually like Tenzo? Iruka's own feelings had been rather confusing lately… but was Kakashi really feeling the same way? 

Iruka was going to deal with this. Hiding thoughts and feeling wasn't how he had ever handled anything, and he certainly wasn't going to start now. 

"Kakashi… do you… like Tenzo?" Iruka asked slowly, staring into the steely gray eye that he loved so much. 

"Of course I like him, he's my best friend. Besides you, of course." Kakashi replied cheekily. 

"No. That's not what I meant." Iruka said, watching closely as the eye narrowed by the tiniest amount. "Do you have… romantic feelings for him?"

Kakashi remained silent, his gaze calculating as he attempted to figure out the purpose of this conversation. His left eye opened, exposing the sharingan. "You know I'd die before I left you, right?"

"I know. But that's not what the question was. I'm not mad, just curious." Iruka spoke, placing a reassuring hand on Kakashi's bare shoulder. 

Iruka knew that his boyfriend was analyzing his sentence with the sharingan. He didn't mind… it wasn't unusual for Kakashi to do so during important conversations. This was something he needed an answer to, however, and Iruka was getting impatient. 

"Iruka… my history with Tenzo is… complicated. You know that." Kakashi paused, watching Iruka intently as he started his explanation. "Yes. I do think that I have feelings for him… maybe I always have. Maybe… maybe I even love him. I don't know. But what I do know is that those feelings will absolutely NOT change the way I feel about you. I love you, Iruka." 

"I love you too, Kakashi." He answered softly, planting a kiss on Kakashi's forehead before pulling back again. "The reason I asked is because… well…" Iruka's words fell away from him.

"You love him too, don't you?" Kakashi interjected, flashing his stunning smile as his red eye spun slowly. 

"Yes." Iruka answered quietly. Red creeping across his face. 

Kakashi chuckled. "Iruka, it's fine. No reason to be embarrassed. We BOTH love him. I don't see that as a problem."

"How is that NOT a problem? How can we continue to be friends with someone we have feelings for?" Iruka argued, his voice rising slightly. 

"Exactly my point!" Kakashi said. "We SHOULDN'T stay friends with him."

Iruka scowled at his boyfriend. How could he even say something like that? He opened his mouth to argue, but Kakashi interrupted him. 

"What I'm saying is, maybe we should be MORE than friends with him." Kakashi said slowly. 

Kakashi's point finally clicked in Iruka's brain. His brow furrowed as the true meaning of the words revealed themselves. Kakashi wanted to… bring Tenzo into their relationship? A third person? Did people really do that? 

"Iruka, are you okay?" Kakashi asked quietly. 

Iruka realized he had been staring at the mattress for several minutes with a frown on his face. He met Kakashi's worried gaze.

"I'm fine. Just thinking. How would we even… what would we…" iruka struggled to complete his questions as his nervousness caught up with him. 

"Maybe you should take some time to think about it. If you decide that it's something you are interested in, we should drop some hints. You know, try to figure out if Tenzo even likes us before we embarrass ourselves by asking." Kakashi explained. Iruka smiled. There was a reason he was called a genius. 

"Ok. But your training with Naruto is over. How do we spend more time with him?" Iruka asked. 

"Ah. See... I've already thought about that." Kakashi said with a smirk. "You'll see. We will start tomorrow."

~

Iruka dragged Kakashi out of bed the next morning. The brunette wasn't the most patient person in the world, and Kakashi couldn't help but giggle as his boyfriend huffed and glared as he got ready. He had refused to tell him the plan, only telling him they were going to the training grounds. When he was dressed and ready, he summoned Pakkun. 

Kakashi scribbled a note, taking care to keep Iruka from seeing it, and sent Pakkun to find Tenzo. The note didn't actually give out any details, but it was too much fun to mess with Iruka. 

"Kakashiiiii, are you going to keep me in the dark forever?" Iruka whined. 

The jonin chuckled, pulling Iruka in close, bumping their foreheads together. "Of course not, Sensei. We're going outside!"

Iruka scowled, punching Kakashi in the arm. "You're so mean!"

Kakashi laughed, leading the man out the door and to the training grounds. 

When they arrived, Tenzo was already waiting for them. The pair shared a knowing glance before approaching the Anbu. 

"So, Senpai, what are we doing here?" Tenzo asked, cutting to the point as always. 

"Good morning to you too, Tenzo." Kakashi said sarcastically. 

Tenzo rolled his eyes. "Good morning, Kakashi, Iruka. Now, what are we doing here?"

"Well, Kohai, I was hoping you could help me out with something. I need someone to help train Iruka in taijutsu and the water technique, and you're the only person I can trust." Kakashi said smoothly. 

Iruka looked confused, but recovered nicely as he went along with Kakashi's plan. 

"Why can't you train him yourself? You are sufficient in both of those." Tenzo spoke confidently.

"I can't train with Iruka… I go too easy on him. I need someone who will actually try to push him to his limits." Kakashi said slyly. He knew Tenzo would agree. He enjoyed training, and in fact, he was a great teacher. Kakashi himself had copied several of his techniques with his sharingan. 

Tenzo looked to Iruka. "Why are you looking to train all of a sudden?" 

Iruka thought for a moment, but Kakashi knew he could come up with something to say. "It's never a bad idea to improve, Tenzo. Plus with the Akatsuki invading the sand village directly, we have no idea when the leaf village may be targeted. I have my students to protect, after all." Iruka said coolly. 

Tenzo accepted that answer, nodding as he looked to the ground to think. "Alright. We can train. But I warn you, I DID train under Kakashi AND Danzo. I won't go easy on you." 

Iruka smiled, and Kakashi knew his idea would be successful, and with the added benefit of the water style, there would be plenty of wet clothes and excuses to strip. If Kakashi was being honest with himself, he was looking forward to watching the two men get sweaty. 

They started out with simple taijutsu, and Kakashi watched intently from the sidelines. Iruka had been right, the Akatsuki could attack at any time, and suddenly Kakashi was happy his boyfriend was training. He analyzed the fight with his sharingan, ready to provide tips and tricks to both of them if necessary. 

The training session didn't last too terribly long, as iruka was slightly out of practice, but both men had gotten good and sweaty. 

"What do you say, same time tomorrow? Assuming we don't get a mission?" Kakashi asked politely. 

"Sure, Senpai." Tenzo replied quickly. 

The men parted ways, the two lovers watching as Tenzo walked away. They walked home arm in arm, with Iruka worn out from the training.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Am I doing another double update? Yes I am, because I don't have enough self-control to keep myself to one chapter a day.

Kakashi watched from the sidelines as Iruka danced gracefully across the field. Tenzo fired water bullets at him and chased him down. Iruka dodged quickly, creating more space between them. 

Tenzo created a tsunami on the field, using a water walking technique to stay afloat but sweeping Iruka under. Kakashi jumped up to a tree as the water spread to the edges of the field. Just as it looked as if Tenzo had won, a tan hand reached out of the water and dragged him under. The jutsu dropped quickly, leaving both men lying on the ground, soaked and breathing heavy. 

Kakashi laughed, jumping down from the tree. "Whoa. You two are soaked. Let's head back to the apartment and get those clothes in the wash." 

Tenzo laughed. "Alright. I will see you guys again tomorrow." 

"Maa, Tenzo, your floor is much nicer than mine. You're doing me a favor by training my love, so why don't I wash those clothes for you? We can hang out and drink." Kakashi said with a smirk on his face. Iruka smiled up at his boyfriend, his breathing ragged. 

Before Tenzo could open his mouth to protest, Kakashi transported them to the apartment. Both of the wet men landed in the doorway, Kakashi having the foresight to avoid a wet carpet. 

Kakashi rounded the corner, throwing a couple of robes and towels to the side. "Alright, out of the wet clothes."

Tenzo stammered as Iruka didn't hesitate to remove his shirt. "Uh… Senpai? Maybe I should just go."

"Don't be embarrassed Tenzo, it's nothing I haven't seen before. Just get changed." Kakashi answered smoothly. Tenzo stopped resisting, stripping his shirt off quickly, revealing his strong muscles to the room. Iruka was already down to his underwear when he turned back towards Tenzo, his eyes going wide at the sight before him. Tenzo had his back to him, and was down to his boxers. He was drying his hair with one of the towels Kakashi had provided. His shoulders and back were sculpted beautifully, and Iruka was clearly entranced. 

Kakashi and Iruka shared a look, a blush rising on Iruka's face at being caught staring. He quickly let his long brown hair down from his ponytail and tried to dry his hair. 

Then, Kakashi saw it. Tenzo looked at Iruka. Out of the corner of his eye, and just for a second, but he looked. Iruka may just be a teacher, but he was in excellent shape. His muscles were amazing, his skin was smooth, and his hair was soft and beautiful. Kakashi would have been shocked if he HADN'T looked. 

Both men put on the robes without removing the last article of clothing, and Kakashi took the wet clothes to the washing machine. 

They all settled on the couch, Tenzo on the end, and Kakashi in the middle. Iruka brought the sake and some glasses, settling down on the other end. 

The three of them had been drinking for a while. They laughed and talked and joked around with each other. When they were just barely buzzed, Kakashi had the brilliant idea to play truth or dare. 

"I feel like I might be at a disadvantage here… you two already know everything about each other." Tenzo said nervously.

Kakashi simply shrugged. "I guess we're just going to have to pick 'dare' then."

"Alright then. But I get to go first." Tenzo said with a smile. "Senpai, truth or dare." 

"Truth." Kakashi answered instantly. 

"Do you regret leaving Anbu?" The brunette asked. 

Kakashi sighed. "Yes and no. I am glad I left because I got to meet Iruka. But I always regretted leaving you behind. I wish you could've left with me."

Tenzo smiled softly into his cup, apparently happy with his answer. Kakashi set his sights on Iruka. "Truth or dare, Sweetheart?" He said with a wink. 

"Dare." Iruka said with a smirk. Kakashi knew the face wouldn't last long once he opened his mouth again. 

"Alright. I dare you to kiss Tenzo." Kakashi said smugly. Iruka's jaw dropped, and Tenzo started sputtering. "Iruka is your boyfriend! Why would you say that?"

Kakashi shrugged. "It's MY turn. I can say what I want. It's up to Iruka whether he does it or not." He looked to Tenzo innocently before winking at his lover. Iruka shut his jaw, narrowing his eyes at Kakashi before addressing Tenzo. "Have you kissed anyone before?" 

Tenzo gawked, clearly expecting Iruka to refuse the dare, not start asking questions. He chugged what was left in his glass and refilled it. "Yes, I have."

"Good." Was all Iruka said before he was out of his seat and moving. He leaned over Tenzo, one hand on each side of his jaw, and tilted the Anbu's head upwards. He smashed their lips together passionately, before releasing the stunned ninja. He crossed back to his own seat, smiling at Kakashi as he went. 

He had to admit, he rather enjoyed watching them. This was going to be fun. Tenzo was beet red, and silent. 

"Okay, my turn." Iruka announced loudly. "Tenzo, truth or dare?" 

"I… I guess I'm gonna say truth." Tenzo said nervously. 

"What is your sexual preference?" Iruka asked boldly. The alcohol was helping him with his confidence, and Kakashi found a confident Iruka very sexy. 

Tenzo choked on his drink a little. "Okay, maybe 'dare' instead."

Iruka narrowed his eyes. "Okay, either you answer the question… or you have to kiss Kakashi."

Tenzo's jaw dropped, and he went bright red. "Men. I like men." Tenzo said quietly, staring into his cup. 

"I'm gonna take another turn." Kakashi interrupted. 

Tenzo whined. "Senpai, it's my turn."

"Yeah but you kissed my boyfriend so I think I'm entitled to another turn." Kakashi said with a smile, with Iruka giggling in the background.

Tenzo opened his mouth to argue, but shut it again quickly, nodding his agreement. 

"Tenzo, truth or dare?" Kakashi asked. 

Tenzo rolled his eyes. "Truth." 

"Back in Anbu… did you…" Kakashi paused, debating if he really wanted to know the answer. "Did you love me?" 

Tenzo stopped breathing for a moment, his deep brown eyes dancing between him and Iruka. Kakash thought for a moment that maybe he wasn't going to answer. 

"I uh… yes. I did." Tenzo answered quietly. Kakashi put a firm hand on Tenzo's shoulder, squeezing tightly and smiling at him. "Your turn, Tenzo." He said softly.

"Iruka, truth or dare?" Tenzo asked. 

"Truth." Iruka replied. 

"What made you fall in love with this asshole?" Tenzo said, gesturing to Kakashi. 

Iruka laughed. "I saw him for who he was. He was like me. He's lost people, and he grew up alone just like I did. I could see all of that in his eyes, just as I can see it in yours."

Kakashi smiled at his love, grabbing his hand while Tenzo thought about the answer. 

"Kakashi, truth or dare." Iruka said calmly. 

"Dare."

Iruka smiled brightly. "Kiss Tenzo." 

Tenzo was frozen again, but Kakashi didn't waste any time. He was tired of playing. It was all or nothing. He sat up, and spun around, climbing into Tenzo's lap. The man was shocked, his hands braced against the back of the couch as he leaned away from the jonin. He ran his hands behind Tenzo's head and dragged him forward, pressing into him with everything he could muster. 

Tenzo's mouth opened in shock, and Kakashi took advantage quickly. He forced his tongue into Tenzo's mouth, licking across his teeth and tasting everything he could. Tenzo's shock wore off and he started kissing back fiercely. 

Tenzo's hands gripped his sides and pushed him away. The two men separated, and Tenzo looked confused. 

"Okay. When the hell are you two going to tell me what's going on?" Tenzo spoke, frustration edging his voice. 

Kakashi looked back to Iruka, seeing his boyfriend staring with lustful eyes. He turned back to the man he was currently straddling. "We uh… like you." He said with a shrug. 

"No…" Iruka spoke softly, shifting closer to their end of the couch. "We LOVE you. We were wondering if... you wanted us too?"

Tenzo sat silently for a minute, thinking carefully. "I… I don't think we should do this." 

Kakashi's heart dropped, but he respected Tenzo's wishes. He removed himself from the other man's lap, standing awkwardly, waiting for the explanation. 

"I'm sorry… I really am. But I like you guys too much to ruin our friendship with a one-night-stand." Tenzo explained, looking down into his empty lap. 

Kakashi and Iruka both laughed at the same time. Tenzo looked up, confused. Kakashi moved as swift as he possibly could back into Tenzo's lap. He laced their fingers together, moving the brunette's hands above his head and leaning in. He connected foreheads with his former teammate, listening to Tenzo trying to continue breathing. "We're not trying for a one-night-stand. We're asking you to be a part of our relationship. Permanently." He spoke softly, his mismatched eyes staring into the brown almonds. 

"You… you are?" Tenzo squeaked. 

Iruka had moved around the back of the couch, running his arms down Tenzo's shoulders and over his chest. He leaned in next to Tenzo's ear. "Yes, we are. Would you like to date us?"

"B-but I've never dated anyone before." Tenzo stammered out and Iruka licked his ear. 

"That doesn't matter. Neither had I until Iruka came along." Kakashi spoke softly, nuzzling Tenzo's nose. "It's up to you. We can back off and forget this ever happened."

"No! ...no. I want to be with you. Both of you. I just uh… don't know how." Tenzo mumbled. 

Kakashi chose that moment to grind down into Tenzo's lap, pulling a deep moan from his kohai. "You don't have to. We can show you."

Kakashi watched as Tenzo squirmed beneath him, with Iruka leaving a trail of kisses down his throat. 

"I uh… I've done things with other men, but I haven't done THAT. Is that okay?" Tenzo asked nervously. 

It was cute how nervous and inexperienced Tenzo was. Kakashi was thrilled to once again be able to teach his kohai a thing or two. "Don't worry, Pumpkin, we won't be doing that today. We'll take it slow." Kakashi spoke, placing a reassuring hand on Tenzo's jaw. He gave him one more long kiss before he climbed off of his lap and motioned for Iruka to come around. 

Iruka smiled as he walked around the couch and leaned in, putting all his weight on Tenzo as he kissed down his neck, opening his robe slowly as he went. He kissed over hardened nipples, forcing Tenzo to gasp as he sucked one up into his mouth. 

Kakashi watched as his lover paved his own way down Tenzo's body, disrobing the man gently. "One thing you'll learn is that Iruka really likes oral." Kakashi said with a laugh as Iruka ripped down Tenzo's boxers, releasing his impressive erection into the open air. The chunin untied his own robe, throwing it to the side. He didn't hesitate, swallowing Tenzo's cock to the hilt and the man writhed and bucked under him. 

Kakashi chuckled, enjoying all the beautiful sounds Tenzo made as Iruka expertly sucked and licked his engorged dick. He knelt down behind his lover, catching a quick glance from Tenzo with an unspoken question. "I said we'd go slow for YOU. No reason I can't put on a show for you in the meantime." Kakashi said with a wink. 

Pulling a small vial of lube out of his pocket. Tenzo groaned loudly as he watched Kakashi slowly work Iruka open, first one finger, then two, then three. The teacher moaned, sending vibrations through Tenzo's cock. Kakashi never imagined the Anbu would be so vocal, and he certainly wasn't disappointed in that fact. 

Kakashi removed his own shirt and pants quickly, not one to leave Iruka waiting. He lubed up his large member, and slowly pushed into Iruka's slick entrance. The tight heat pulled him in, and he complied, knowing Iruka could take it. 

He waited for a moment, pressed into Iruka's ass to the base, giving his lover time to adjust. A gentle rocking of Iruka's tan hips was the only signal he needed. He pulled out slowly, and slammed his way back in. With Kakashi plowing into him from behind, Iruka had no choice but to let his lover set the pace, forcing Iruka to take Tenzo's dick down his throat repeatedly. Tenzo moaned loudly, his hands clenching in mid-air. Iruka reached up, grabbing his hands and moving them to grip his long brown hair. 

It didn't take long for Tenzo to come down Iruka's throat. His eyes going wide afterwards as if he did something wrong. Kakashi paused so Iruka could swallow. "It's alright Tenzo, he loves it." Kakashi said, winking and pulling Iruka up against his chest. He picked up his pace, ramming himself straight into Iruka's prostate. The chunin moaned over and over as Kakashi continued a relentless pace. The jonin reached around, wrapping a hand around his lover's cock to jerk him off. Kakashi leaned in and bit Iruka violently at the junction of his neck, and the teacher came in his hand. 

Kakashi looked up, seeing Tenzo's eyes blown wide at the sight before him. Iruka was beautiful post-orgasm, and he often found himself staring. He bit down one more time on the beautiful tan skin before finishing inside Iruka. When he had finished riding out his orgasm, he slowly pulled out, causing Iruka to whimper. 

After all three ninjas cleaned up and fixed their clothes, Tenzo started blushing, the severity of what they had done was clearly catching up to him. 

Iruka noticed it immediately, and aimed to fill the silence. "Tenzo, would you like to stay here with us tonight? No funny business… just spending more time together." 

Tenzo stayed silent, clearly unsure of what the correct answer was. 

"Tenzo, it's okay if you change your mind… we are aware that what we are asking you is a big decision, and if you don't want to be in a relationship with us, we won't stop being friends with you." Kakashi added seriously. He hoped Tenzo wouldn't change his mind, because watching Iruka go down on him was one of the hottest things he had ever witnessed. 

"No… I want this...I just don't want to get in the way of the two of you. I don't know how this works exactly. When am I supposed to be here?" Tenzo asked quietly. 

Kakashi let out a loud breath. Tenzo hadn't even understood remotely the concept of a three person relationship. He thought he was just an extra participant whenever it was convenient? Kakashi searched his mind for the right things to say, and came up blank. Thankfully, Iruka's amazing self figured it out. 

"This isn't just mine and Kakashi's relationship anymore, Tenzo. It's yours too. We aren't going to ask you to leave, because we never want you to. You are an EQUAL part of this. You aren't an inconvenience to us, you know? We want you to be our boyfriend, not a booty call." Iruka explained softly, taking Tenzo's hand in one of his own. "You aren't taking any of my love away from Kakashi… I simply have more to give. Okay?"

Tenzo looked down at the hand holding his, before looking to meet Kakashi's gaze. 

"Okay." Tenzo said quietly, and Kakashi took that as his cue. He moved from the floor, sitting himself across Tenzo's lap, his legs hanging over onto Iruka. Tenzo didn't know what to do with his free hand, so Kakashi pulled it around his back to his side. 

"Tenzo, in the spirit of our new relationship, I just wanted to say a couple things." Kakashi paused, both to calm his heart and to find the right words. "Back then, in Anbu, I loved you. I just… couldn't even think of having a relationship at that time. I was in a bad way, and with both of us running Anbu missions… I just couldn't." Kakashi stopped talking, his emotions getting a little too far out of his control. He felt Iruka's hand on his thigh, tracing comforting patterns into his pants. 

"That day… when I left, and I saw you before I left," Kakashi paused again, he had barely admitted this to himself, and had never said it out loud before. "I knew you were watching me leave, and I wanted to turn around and bring you with me… it broke my heart to leave you there." 

"Kakashi… I had no idea." Tenzo said quietly. 

Kakashi looked over to Iruka, who was hearing this for the first time. The brunette was softly smiling at him, eyes full of love and pride. Of course. Iruka was just proud of him for sharing. If he wasn't so sad, he would roll his eyes. 

Kakashi jumped up out of the couch, all the emotional sharing making him a smidge uncomfortable. "Alright, that's enough of that. Off to bed with you two." He said to his lovers.

"What are you going to do?" Iruka asked.

"Don't worry. I'm just going to switch the laundry over and clean up in here a tiny bit. Go to bed, Sunshine, and take Tenzo with you." Kakashi cooed, leaning down and kissing the top of Iruka's head. 

Iruka smiled brightly and stood up, using Tenzo's hand to drag him down the hall to the bedroom. 

~

Iruka led Tenzo to the bedroom, stopping by the bed and shedding his robe to jump onto the floor. The Anbu stood there with his hand back behind his neck nervously. 

"Tenzo… you want this, right?" Iruka asked once more. "All of this? The relationship, the sex, the snuggling, everything?

Tenzo nodded his head slowly. 

"Alright then. I know you don't really know how to have a relationship… neither did Kakashi. I just wanted to make sure you wanted this before I pushed you. We're gonna show you how to be our boyfriend, but you need to tell us if it's moving too fast, okay?" Iruka asked, sitting on his legs at the edge of the bed by Tenzo. 

"Okay. Uh… thanks, Iruka." Tenzo said, a shy smile on his face. 

Iruka stood up, entering Tenzo's space to remove his robe and drag him into the middle of the bed. Tenzo laid on his side, facing Iruka, who had his arm around the Anbu's waist. Iruka moved his hand to the back of Tenzo's head, pulling him forward to touch their foreheads together. "I know Kakashi already told you that he loved you, but I need you to know that I've fallen in love with you, too. This isn't just me going along with what Kakashi wants." 

Tenzo smiled, running his hand along Iruka's ribcage. "I've loved Kakashi since I was fifteen, I thought the feelings were gone when he left Anbu, but I was wrong. Iruka, I think I fell in love with you after I fainted in the field. I woke up, and you were leaning over me. I just… couldn't stop thinking about it."

Iruka smiled for two reasons. One, because Tenzo had just told him that he loved him back, and two, because Kakashi had been standing in the doorway, listening, and was now sneaking silently to the bed. If anyone could sneak up on an Anbu, it was Kakashi, and Iruka certainly wasn't going to ruin it. 

Kakashi ran an arm around Tenzo's waist, and the brunette flinched very obviously. He looked over his shoulder to a snickering Kakashi, who pulled Tenzo to his chest and propped his face up on a tan arm. 

"Kakashi?" Tenzo asked questioningly. "Don't worry. I'm not doing anything, just cuddling a little." Kakashi answered quickly. Tenzo looked even more confused at the copy ninja opting for a snuggle, and Iruka laughed loudly. 

"I suppose I should give you a few basic ideas of how Kakashi is as a boyfriend." Iruka announced lightly, bringing Tenzo's attention back to him. "First of all, he is a relentless cuddler, in fact, you practically have to fight him off in the mornings if you have somewhere to go. Secondly, he absolutely WILL have a nickname for you, get used to it." Iruka stopped to think of the next thing to add, watching as Kakashi flashed Tenzo a cheesy smile before kissing him on the nose. Tenzo's eyebrows rose comically at the information as he watched the silver-haired jonin. 

"Oh! And watch out, because he's really into biting. He is more like the ninken as time goes on, I swear." Iruka said, rolling his eyes as Kakashi licked his lips and gave a playful wink. 

"Hey! Don't give away all my secrets on day one!" Kakashi whined. "It's my turn now. Let's see… Iruka is super sweet, but if you don't take care of yourself, he WILL kick your ass while force-feeding you soup. Also, he is absolutely filthy and likes sex to be a little rough." Kakashi said with a sly smile as Iruka blushed profusely. 

"He is seriously a mother hen. Don't bother telling him that he doesn't have to cook and clean for you, and he also will clean you up and take care of you after hard missions. He won't be deterred, so it's just easier to let him do it. Plus, it's nice to be taken care of."

Iruka smiled at the pale jonin, leaning over to place a soft kiss on his lips before returning to kiss a yawning Tenzo on his forehead. "Alright, it's late. Let's go to bed." Iruka said softly. 

Kakashi crawled awkwardly over Tenzo to give Iruka a kiss. "Goodnight, Sunshine." Iruka smiled. "Goodnight Kakashi." The jonin moved to the side, adjusting his weight slightly so he could give Tenzo a kiss too. "Goodnight, Pumpkin." He said with a smile. 

"Pumpkin?" Tenzo asked, eyebrows slightly raised. "Yup." Kakashi answered simply, a mischievous smile on his face. "I wanted it to be a plant. You know, because of the mokuton." 

Tenzo rolled his eyes, laughing softly. "Goodnight, Kakashi."


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More smut of course, but also plot

Iruka's training was going well. Well, aside from the fact that he couldn't keep from kissing Tenzo whenever the man pinned him down. They may just be small pecks on his lips, but Tenzo never failed to blush profusely, jumping up and checking that there were no spectators. 

Kakashi would chuckle from the sidelines, laying in the fancy bench Tenzo crafted for him, book in hand. 

They had all agreed, for obvious reasons, that their new relationship would be kept quiet. Iruka and Kakashi's relationship had just barely been made public, and while many were more than supportive, others were still glaring at them as they walked by. Even when Tenzo was walking with them, Iruka saw the stares, like they couldn't believe Tenzo would be seen in public with them. 

Iruka wanted to be able to hug both of his boyfriends in public, but that wouldn't be able to happen for a long time. The three of them went back to the apartment, changed, and went to dinner. Tenzo was leaving on a mission in the morning, and they intended on giving him a going away present. 

The secluded restaurant Kakashi took them to was pleasant, but Iruka was most excited for what was going to come after. They had done a few small things and several make-out sessions since Tenzo had joined their relationship, but for Tenzo's sake, they were taking it slow. 

As soon as they were in the front door, Kakashi had tenzo up against the wall, his tongue in his mouth and his hands up his shirt. Tenzo was learning how to reciprocate, and had his hands down the back of Kakashi's pants. Iruka leaned against the wall and watched, palming his growing erection through his pants. 

Tenzo moaned deeply into Kakashi's mouth as the jonin grinded their mid-sections together. The two separated, and before Iruka could blink, Kakashi had tackled him to the floor. His shirt was gone, and silver hair tickled his throat as Kakashi bit into one of his pecks. "Ah!" Iruka moaned, struggling to keep his hips still. 

Iruka gained some momentum, and pulled himself and Kakashi off of the floor. He grabbed one hand from each boyfriend and led them down the hall into the bedroom. He stood before the bed, shrugging off the rest of his clothes and crawling onto the sheets. Tenzo blushed profusely as Kakashi undressed him. "Tenzo, we've got a treat for you today. We're gonna teach you how to prep Iruka." He said with a smile. "And of course, you'll get all the… benefits that come from that." He said with a wink. 

Iruka laid on his back, watching as Tenzo's eyes widened. Kakashi went to the nightstand, grabbing the lube, and led Tenzo over to the bed. "Alright, Iruka isn't very patient, so we're going to jump right in."

Iruka had been excited for this. Tenzo had large, calloused fingers, and he was more than curious about how it would feel to be stretched by him. Tenzo seemed excited and nervous as Kakashi lubed up his fingers. 

Kakashi leaned in to bite at Tenzo's neck, and as much as he enjoyed watching the two, it was his turn. He made a small throat clearing noise, and Kakashi chuckled deeply as he looked towards his lover sprawled out on the bed. 

"Alright Tenzo, let's give poor Iruka some attention. Start with one finger, okay? Just go in a little, and give him a few seconds to adjust." Kakashi offered his advice, moving up onto the bed to kiss Iruka deeply. 

Tenzo was timid at first, but by the time he had two fingers inside, Iruka was mewling and writhing on the bed while Kakashi gave the Anbu tips. Tenzo ground his fingers into Iruka's prostate, and the teacher cried out. When the third delicious finger was added, Iruka was gone. Incoherent noises were all his mouth could produce as he tried to beg for more. Kakashi placed a knowing hand on Iruka's belly, and called for Tenzo to stop. "Alright, time for the real fun." The jonin said as he grabbed the lube again. 

Just when Iruka had finally caught his breath again, Tenzo was pressing in to the hilt. Both men moaned loudly as Tenzo started fucking into his tight heat. He clearly had remembered when Kakashi told him that Iruka liked it a little rougher. Kakashi moved over towards Iruka's head, placing his swollen dick over the chunin's mouth. Iruka gladly swallowed it down to the base, sucking and licking circles around the tip.   
Tenzo's pace picked up as Kakashi grabbed Iruka by the hair, pulling his head to the side so he could fuck himself into his throat. 

It was rough, but Iruka loved every second of it. He moaned and cried out non-stop around Kakashi's dick. The jonin threw his head back, the sweet vibrations from Iruka's throat pushing him over the edge as he spilled his release down Iruka's throat. Iruka swallowed, almost choking on a moan as Tenzo's warm hand wrapped around his own neglected length. It was all too much for Iruka as his cum spilled over Tenzo's hand. 

Tenzo continued ramming himself into Iruka's ass. Kakashi moved back over, lifting Tenzo's hand up to his mouth to clean off Iruka's essence. Tenzo's rhythm faltered as he watched the erotic display. He moaned loudly as he finished inside of Iruka's tight ass. 

Tenzo pulled out slowly. "Uh... sorry, I probably should have asked." He said nervously. 

Iruka wasn't in any condition to answer him, so he just ran a reassuring hand on Tenzo's arm. Kakashi chuckled. "Trust me Tenzo, Iruka doesn't mind." He leaned down and scooped the chunin up into his arms. "Come on, let's get him into the bath. We could probably use a wash too." 

Iruka wasn't going to complain if Kakashi was going to baby him. His body was tired and sore, and he would be lying if he said he didn't enjoy the aftercare Kakashi always provided him. Now, it was even better. Two sets of warm hands scrubbed him down and massaged him in hot water, and he had two strong bodies to snuggle with as he fell asleep.

In the morning, after Tenzo wrestled his way out of Kakashi's arms and got ready to leave with Sai, both Kakashi and Iruka said their goodbyes as Tenzo left on his first longer mission since joining the relationship. 

Iruka and Kakashi snuggled back in bed. "He'll be okay Sunshine, it's just an information gathering mission." Kakashi said, trying to reassure them both. 

~

Kakashi's mind raced as explosions were heard throughout the village. Buildings collapsed all around him as he ran through the streets looking for survivors. The Akatsuki had finally made their move, but Naruto wasn't in Konoha. He was off in Mt. Myoboku training, and with any luck, he wouldn't return until this was long over. 

Through the streets people were crying and yelling, and Kakashi dug through the rubble. He summoned the ninken, sending them to help dig people out of the debris. 

A ping of familiar chakra caught his attention, and his legs were moving before he could think. His eyes located Iruka quickly, staring down an enemy with a hurt comrade on the ground next to him. One quick movement and he was there, between Iruka and the enemy. 

"Kakashi?!" Iruka called loudly. 

"Iruka, take him to the hospital." Kakashi spoke confidently. 

"But Kakashi…" Iruka started to argue.

"Just go! I'll handle this." Kakashi interrupted him. He couldn't handle the thought of Iruka being out here in this. He was just thankful that Tenzo was out of the village. Iruka hesitated, but took the injured man and left. Kakashi wished he had a chance to really say goodbye to his boyfriend. He had a bad feeling about this. 

~

Iruka practically threw the man at a nurse before he was running back to where he had last seen Kakashi. He passed many people on the way, but he didn't pay them any mind until he passed Choji. The boy was panicked, but once he locked eyes with Iruka, his panic devolved into sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Iruka." He cried out before running away again. A pit dropped in his gut, and whatever was left of his lunch threatened to expel from his stomach as he forced his legs to move. 

One of the buildings exploded next to him, the walls crushing him to the ground. White hot pain shot up from his leg. It was definitely broken, but he couldn't afford to stop. He practically dragged himself back to where he had left Kakashi. 

The damage to the area was catastrophic, but nothing could prepare Iruka for the sight of Kakashi's body, half buried in rubble. He ran to his boyfriend, crying out as his leg gave out from under him. Iruka crawled the last couple feet, lifting Kakashi's head in his shaking hands. A sob escaped him as he looked at the nail embedded in his forehead, blood dripping slowly down his face. 

He dug frantically, removing rocks from the pile and skin from his hands. When Kakashi's body was free, he cradled the broken jonin in his arms, sobbing loudly. He didn't acknowledge the world until Katsuya wrapped him and Kakashi up in her body. Whatever was happening, he no longer cared. Tenzo was safe, wherever he was. The only thing that Iruka needed to think about was how he had left Kakashi to his death. How Kakashi wouldn't be there anymore, no more frantic cuddling in the mornings, no more 'good morning Sunshine', and no more cheesy jokes. There wasn't going to be another chance for Iruka to make dog jokes. 

Even when the entire city was turned into a crater, Iruka paid it no attention. Katsuya did what she could for his leg as Iruka rocked back and forth. 

Nothing mattered anymore, right up until a blue streak of light fell out of the sky and into Kakashi's limp body. When the silver-haired man took his first breath, Iruka lost the ability to breath. He smoothed Kakashi's hair out of his face as the man slowly opened his mismatched eyes.

~

Tenzo bolted back to the village. His hand burned where his jutsu warned him of the nine tails running rampant. He made it over the hill, and his jaw dropped. The village was… gone? Most of the village was just a giant crater, and the rest of it was in shambles. He didn't know what to think about first. What happened? Who was left? It wasn't long before his mind went EXACTLY where he didn't want it to. 

Kakashi and Iruka.

Tenzo walked through the streets on the half that wasn't a crater. From what he gathered, most of the survivors had been found in the rubble. Bits of information were being shared out in the streets, and he listened to every bit, trying to get the information he needed.

"Sakura killed the giant snake thing."

"Did you hear that Tsunade is in a coma?"

"Naruto destroyed the man who did this."

"Did you hear about Kakashi Hatake?"

Tenzo turned to see who it was that was talking. A group of chunin he didn't know. He listened intently.

"Yeah I heard he saved that kid Choji. That guy sent a nail through his forehead though. He's the jonin that's gay, isn't he?"

"I think so. I heard that his boyfriend was carrying his body through town."

Tenzo's heart dropped. Kakashi was… dead? His hands moved faster than his mind could comprehend as he used a transportation jutsu into the hospital. 

He stalked through the halls, ignoring everyone around him as he searched out Iruka's chakra. He schooled his features, removing the sheer panic from his face as he moved past nurses and patients and crowds of loved ones. 

He froze. There… Iruka's chakra. He picked up the pace, rounding the corner to see Iruka on the bench outside of the emergency surgery room. His leg was in a cast, and he looked like hell. From what Tenzo had heard, it was for good reason. 

He ran to the bench. Iruka looked up to meet his eyes when he was about halfway there. He slid down to the floor in front of the chunin, leaning over his lap to pull him into a hug. Iruka hugged him back intensely. 

"Iruka…" Tenzo choked out, his stony facade cracking. Iruka ran his hands through his short brown hair, throwing the happuri helmet to the ground. 

"Tenzo… he's alive." Iruka spoke quietly, his voice almost non-existent. 

Tenzo met his gaze. "Kakashi? He's… alive?"

"Yes. He's in there." Iruka spoke softly, gesturing to the surgery rooms. "They're pulling a nail out of his head, and checking for brain damage."

Tenzo's eyes widened. "How? What the hell happened?" 

Iruka's eyes started watering again, and Tenzo climbed up onto the bench, pulling Iruka into his side. "Pain… the Akatsuki. They attacked us to get to Naruto. I don't know all the details. All I know is one minute Kakashi was dead, and the next minute some blue light came from the sky and brought him back to life. He… was awake for about thirty seconds after that."

Tenzo rested his chin on Iruka's head, stroking fingers through dusty brown hair. "Kakashi… he was really dead?"

"Yes." Was all Iruka said. 

"And your leg?" Tenzo asked. 

"Broken in two places. A building fell on me when I was trying to get back to Kakashi." Iruka answered solemnly. Tenzo could practically feel the guilt radiating off of Iruka. He opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted by the surgery door swinging open. Shizune walked out, blood soaking her uniform. She eyeballed the two ninjas on the bench, but if she thought it was strange, she didn't mention it. 

"Iruka-sensei?" She asked as she walked over to the bench. 

Iruka sat up quickly, staring down the woman. "Yes?"

"He's going to be okay. We don't detect any brain damage, but he was so far beyond chakra exhaustion that he will be out of work for a bit. He's awake. A bit loopy from the drugs… but awake. He has been asking for you. Both of you… actually." Shizune spoke confidentially. 

"When can we see him?" Tenzo asked hopefully. 

"I can take you right now. Would you like me to find you a wheelchair, Iruka-sensei?" Shizune asked politely.

Tenzo answered quickly. "No. I can take him." He knew there was no way in hell Iruka was going to wait around for them to find a wheelchair. Iruka held on to the one crutch that he had as Tenzo carried him bridal style to Kakashi's room. 

Kakashi looked relieved as they both entered the room, with Iruka practically launching himself out of Tenzo's arms to get to him. He set Iruka down in the bed with him before crossing over to the other side. He held a pale hand, finally allowing his tears to fall. 

It was quiet in the room for a while, both Iruka and Tenzo silently crying, and Kakashi just thinking, staring down at the mattress. Tenzo couldn't help but notice that Kakashi hadn't spoken a word since they had been in the room. He reached up to run a hand through dirty silver hair, uncovering the large bandage on his forehead. 

"Do you need some water?" Tenzo finally asked, breaking the silence. Kakashi nodded, and Tenzo moved to get a glass for both of his injured boyfriends. He returned with the water, both of them sucking it down greedily. 

"Thank you, Tenzo." Iruka spoke softly, his voice still hoarse. Kakashi turned to Iruka finally, concern written all over his features at the weak sound of Iruka's voice. "I'm okay, sweetheart. I just did a lot of crying and yelling today." Iruka said softly. Kakashi's gaze moved down to the broken leg. "What happened?" Kakashi asked, finally speaking. 

"It's broken. But Sakura says it will heal quickly with these pills I have… a uh, building kind of fell on me." He answered sheepishly. 

Kakashi's visible eye narrowed slightly. "You were carrying me after I woke up."

Tenzo's eyes snapped up to Iruka's too. He had forgotten to ask his lover how he got Kakashi to the hospital. 

"Ah. W-well… Sakura said it was the adrenaline. After you woke up, all I could think about was getting you to the hospital. Well, after the shock of you being ALIVE again." Iruka stammered. 

Tenzo couldn't blame Iruka for carrying Kakashi on a broken leg. He would have done the same thing. He smiled gently over at the chunin. After all, Tenzo really didn't know everything that these two went through. He could've lost both of his boyfriends today, and the thought wiped the smile right off of his face. Everything that Tenzo had, Kakashi, Iruka, and the village, could've easily been wiped off the map today. 

"Tenzo." Kakashi's soft voice broke through his thoughts and brought him back to reality. He locked his eyes onto the steel gray one. 

"It's okay. We're all going to be okay." Kakashi reassured him. Kakashi pulled lightly on their conjoined hands, and Tenzo leaned in for a hug.


	9. Chapter 9

Tenzo was at the forefront of the rebuilding efforts. The Rinne Rebirth jutsu had left Kakashi healthy enough to take care of Iruka during the day, and when Tenzo dragged his tired body through the door every night, both of his boyfriends took care of him. He was pushing it, Kakashi knew this, but he also knew that nothing he could say would stop him. The only reason they had gotten an apartment in the first place was because of Iruka's leg, and the fact they all agreed to stay together. 

Tsunade had woken up two days after the attack, and she had shot them more than a few curious looks when she had stopped by to check on both Kakashi and Iruka. 

Kakashi was having a hard time sleeping, and he knew iruka wasn't doing much better. Tenzo would probably have a hard time too if he hadn't been pushing the boundary of chakra exhaustion every day. Something about going to sleep reminded Kakashi of dying, and he could only imagine what horrible images were keeping Iruka up. 

At some point, Iruka had gotten them both sleeping pills from Tsunade. As opposed as he was to taking medicine, Kakashi was thankful to finally sleep. And on the plus side, both of them were healing much faster with proper sleep. 

When Tenzo was practically collapsing through the front door after sunset, Kakashi would carry him to the table, and force him to eat dinner. After that, he would take him to the bath, with the Anbu fighting him the whole way. 

"Kakashi, you're injured. I can take care of myself." He would say. 

But he couldn't take care of himself, because he couldn't even put up a proper fight when Iruka would hobble in on his crutch and help Kakashi bathe him. Once he was cleaned up, they would dry him off and drag him to the bed. Most nights, he passed out instantly, and on the nights he didn't, it only took both of his boyfriends cuddling him for him to nod off. At first light, Tenzo would be awake again, barely waiting for Iruka to make him breakfast before he was taking off out the door. 

After the first week, both Iruka and Kakashi were fed up. Once Tenzo had left, they walked down to the building Tsunade was using as Hokage tower. 

"Tenzo needs to take a day off. He can't continue on like this." Kakashi spoke calmly. 

"Tenzo is an adult, Kakashi. It's nobody's business but his own if he wants to work through it." Tsunade answered him, her brow furrowing. 

"That's not okay! He is going to severely injure himself if he keeps going at this rate!" Iruka interrupted, raising his voice and limping closer to the desk. 

Tsunade raised an eyebrow at Iruka's rude outburst. "Gai is working every day as well, I haven't heard you complain about HIM yet."

"GAI ISN'T BEING USED FOR HIS JUTSU!" Iruka yelled. Kakashi's eyes widened at his boyfriend before looking to see the stunned look on Tsunade's face. It didn't last long. Her eyes narrowed as her pen snapped in half, and she scowled at Iruka. 

"Shizune. Leave." The Hokage spoke through gritted teeth. The assistant didn't hesitate, practically running out the door. 

Tsunade closed her eyes for a minute, appearing to calm herself down. 

"Iruka. You are a great asset to the school, and for THAT REASON ALONE, I'm going to pretend you didn't just accuse me of using my shinobi like that." She took a moment to think, before narrowing her eyes with a smirk in Kakashi's direction. "Why are you so concerned for Tenzo? What is he to you?"

"He is a friend." Kakashi answered quickly, and Iruka nodded. 

"Oh? Just a friend? The three of you seem awful cozy together." Tsunade questioned.

"It doesn't really matter, does it? He is important to us, and we don't want to see him get hurt." Iruka interjected again. 

"Important, huh? Shizune saw you getting awfully snuggly with him in the hallway… and Kakashi was asking for him as much as he was asking for YOU when he was half conscious." Tsunade spoke confidently.

Neither of them spoke. There was nothing they could say to excuse that. 

"Look, tell me what's going on, and I can force Tenzo to take every fifth day off." She said, a slight bit of annoyance entering her voice. 

"I trust this meeting is confidential?" Kakashi spoke finally. 

"Yes." She replied simply.

"He is our boyfriend." Kakashi said easily with a shrug. 

Her brown eyes widened. "Ah. I see. Well, I will speak with him today, and make him take time off. How long has this been going on?"

"About two months." Kakashi answered quickly. 

"That's not very long…" Tsunade pushed for more information. Kakashi was reluctant to give it, but apparently Iruka had no qualms about it. 

"We both fell in love with him. Kakashi while they were in Anbu, and I when he joined team 7. This isn't a fling, if that's what you are implying." Iruka snapped.

"Of course not. I wouldn't believe you were capable of such a thing, Iruka. This information won't leave this office, don't worry. Now get the hell out of my office so I can get some work done." Tsunade said as she shooed them out the door.

After they left the office, Kakashi let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. "You're lucky she didn't punch a hole in your head, you know." He whispered to Iruka.

"I know. I just can't stand by and let them do this to Tenzo. I don't know what came over me." Iruka replied. 

When Tenzo was told to go home for the day, he was more than frustrated. But after spending a few hours snuggling and napping on the bed, he felt better than he had all week. It was slightly awkward that the Hokage knew about their complex relationship, but Kakashi could tell Tenzo was relieved that someone finally knew. Guilt tugged on his heartstrings. He really wished that they could go public, but now wasn't the time. If anything, it would make things worse. Tenzo hadn't been out of Anbu long enough to forge connections strong enough to have a support system. 

For now, they would make do with giving him extra attention at home. 

*

It had been three weeks since the attack, and the Kage Summit had been a complete and utter disaster. Madara had shown up, declared war, and to top it all off they missed yet another chance at Sasuke. The only plus side of the whole trip was that Tenzo got to share a room with Kakashi. His boyfriend had been silent since their run-in with Madara. Though that could probably be attributed to Sasuke disappearing once again. 

Kakashi just couldn't move on from that. Sometimes, he seemed even worse than Sakura and Naruto. To try to distract his lover a small amount, he pulled the jonin to the bed for some much-needed attention. 

Tenzo wasn't used to being the one initiating contact, so he felt pretty awkward. He had pulled him to the bed, now what? He laid down and Kakashi automatically laid with him. 

"Tenzo, you're thinking too loud. What's up?" Kakashi said quietly. 

"I uh… just don't know how to… start things." Tenzo answered sheepishly. 

Kakashi chuckled. "All you gotta do is kiss me, Tenzo. I'll get the hint pretty quickly." 

Kakashi grabbed Tenzo's face and crashed their lips together. Tenzo didn't hesitate. He slid his hands into Kakashi's shirt and around his back, pressing the jonin up against him. Kakashi moaned loudly, rolling them so Kakashi was on top, his legs in between Tenzo's. He removed Tenzo's shirt with a growl. Pale fingers interlaced his quickly, pinning his hands up near his head as Kakashi ground down into him. Tenzo couldn't hold back the moans, and started to wonder how close Naruto's room was to theirs. 

"Don't worry about it. I put up a sound barrier right after we checked in." Kakashi mumbled into his neck. Tenzo chuckled, leave it to Kakashi to be prepared. Kakashi trailed kisses down Tenzo's chin and to his neck. 

Tenzo cried out when Kakashi bit into the sensitive skin at the base of his shoulder. He hadn't had much experience with the older man's biting yet, but the pain and pleasure sensations definitely won him over. Kakashi continued his mouthy journey down Tenzo's body, finally releasing his hands when he made it to his abs. He tangled his fingers into silver hair, knowing his partner loved a bit of hair-pulling. Tenzo couldn't help but pull when Kakashi gave him another bite mark to his chiseled stomach. 

"Sorry. I might've gotten a little too carried away with that one. Too hard?" Kakashi asked.

"No… I liked it." Tenzo replied honestly. The biting was something that he was honestly surprised that he enjoyed. He moaned when he was rewarded with another bite on his abs, rutting himself up against Kakashi's stomach as heat spread to his groin. 

"Kakashi? Do you think I could try to… bottom?" Tenzo asked, writhing around under Kakashi's kisses. 

"Iruka would be super mad at me if I tried that when he wasn't around. But I can finger fuck your brains out." Kakashi murmured as he removed Tenzo's pants and underwear. 

"Okay." Tenzo said enthusiastically as Kakashi dug around in his bag. "Ah! There it is." He announced as he pulled out a small bottle of lube. "You brought that on a mission?" Tenzo asked with a laugh.

"You asked to bottom without knowing I brought some?" Kakashi said with a raised eyebrow as he climbed back in the bed. 

Tenzo just laughed as Kakashi returned to claim his lips again, their tongues dancing and tasting anything they could. Kakashi pulled away, dripping a good amount of lube on his fingers. Tenzo braced himself but was caught off guard when Kakashi grabbed his leaking member instead. 

He gasped, digging his fingers into the mattress as Kakashi removed his hand to travel down to part his cheeks. His confidence started to give way to nervousness as Kakashi traced his finger around the edge.

"Just relax, Pumpkin. It's going to feel weird at first, but it gets better." Kakashi cooed as he moved his first finger inside slowly. Tenzo forced himself to breathe, and Kakashi's other hand wrapped around his cock again. 

He bucked and moaned, desperate to chase his release as Kakashi gently stretched him. Once he added a second finger, the awkwardness gave way to intense pleasure as Kakashi found his prostate with expert fingers. Tenzo was unable to stop the loud moans spilling from his mouth as his body writhed and begged for more. One more pump of his weeping dick and he spilled his seed out over Kakashi's pale fingers. 

Kakashi removed his fingers, earning a whine from Tenzo. "Don't worry sweetheart, we'll break you in once we get home." The jonin said with a wink. The words were enough to make Tenzo's member jump back to life. Kakashi raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Hmmm, that doesn't mean we can't fill me up while we're here." Kakashi cooed, leaning in to bite Tenzo's thigh. 

Tenzo moaned again, more than ready to go a second round. Kakashi grabbed the lube, quickly moving to prep himself. Tenzo leaned in, taking advantage of Kakashi's distraction to stroke his neglected cock. "Ah! Tenzo you're making it hard to, AH! Concentrate." Kakashi stammered out. He opened his mouth to speak again, but groaned instead as he fingered his own ass. 

Kakashi removed his hand and growled, pushing Tenzo onto his back and straddling the Anbu's waist. He wasted no time impaling himself on Tenzo's thick length. Both ninjas cried out as Kakashi was slowly filled to the brim. Once he had adjusted, Kakashi rode Tenzo hard and fast, with Tenzo bringing his hips up to meet his thrusts. The pace was brutal as the room was filled with the sound of skin slapping skin. 

It didn't take long for Kakashi to finish, spraying his release all over Tenzo's stomach as the Anbu kept pounding away. Seeing Kakashi so utterly wrecked did Tenzo in. His thrusts grew erratic as he filled his lover with his cum. He pulled out slowly, hissing as he went from over sensitivity. 

Kakashi rolled off of him and sprawled out on the mattress, breathing heavily with a beautiful smile on his face. Tenzo loved the way Kakashi looked after sex, with his cheeks red and skin glistening from sweat. The man really was gorgeous. 

Kakashi usually wasn't on the receiving end, and Tenzo started to wonder how sore the jonin would be in the morning. He thought back to their rituals at home, about how every time Iruka bottomed, Kakashi carried him to the bathroom and cleaned him up. Sometimes, Tenzo wondered if Kakashi enjoyed the aftercare even more than the sex itself. He stood up off the bed, leaning over and scooping his lover up into his arms. 

Kakashi giggled lightly as Tenzo carried him into the bathroom. "It's my turn to take care of you, Senpai." Tenzo said with a smile. 

Maybe he understood why Kakashi liked it so much. There was a sense of serenity and calmness that washed over him as he bathed and massaged his lover. It was nice to be able to take complete care of somebody like that. 

There was another part of Tenzo that couldn't wait until it was his turn to be pampered. He had experienced something similar when he came home from work tired and sore, but somehow this seemed different. 

After they had their bath, Tenzo carried Kakashi to the bed to snuggle him to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

With the next war looming over everyone's head, Tsunade made the executive decision to send Naruto away to "train". Iruka agreed wholeheartedly with the decision… right up until Tenzo was assigned to go. Tsunade took pity on them, and let the three of them all have the day off before the team was assigned to leave. It wasn't a lot of time, but they appreciated the gesture anyway. 

The three lovers went out to dinner at a fancy restaurant downtown, one with long tablecloths. Kakashi, being the absolute pervert he was, had removed his sandal to take turns rubbing his foot over highly inappropriate areas. As annoyed as Iruka was at the huge risk Kakashi was taking, he did enjoy watching Tenzo try to act normal as Kakashi stroked his erection. The man squirmed in his seat, and tried to cover up small moans by pretending the food was 'just THAT good'. Iruka was giggling right up until it was HIS turn. Kakashi rubbed into Iruka's crotch with a concerning amount of skill. 

Iruka stifled his moans for as long as he could, with Tenzo chuckling in his seat. Iruka shot Tenzo a glare, and the man simply winked at him. The Anbu was so adorable it was dangerous. Iruka wanted nothing more than to climb into his chair and pepper him with kisses. Instead, a smirk grew on Tenzo's face, a concerning smirk that only spelled trouble. 

Like a true master of the shadows, Tenzo simply disappeared. If Iruka hadn't been looking right at him, he would have missed the very slight movement of the tablecloth. Kakashi's eyes went wide as his foot was removed from Iruka's lap. The chunin smirked over at his lover and waited for Tenzo to get his payback. The jonin shuddered, grabbing handfuls of the tablecloth as Tenzo began doing something absolutely sinful under the table. 

Kakashi's face was beet red, and his breathing labored. Iruka was actually a little impressed at how well Kakashi was suppressing his moans. Kakashi's knuckles went white as his face morphed into something a little more relaxed. He slumped back in his chair, and Iruka couldn't help but laugh. 

Iruka's brown eyes went wide as saucers when he felt his own pants getting shifted down. Tenzo swallowed his erection in one swoop, licking tantalizing circles around the tip as he sucked. 

Iruka dropped his head on the table, trying to fight the shaking his body was doing. He clenched his teeth and gripped the tablecloth. How Tenzo had gotten SO talented, he would never know. 

"Not so funny NOW is it?" Kakashi said with a grin. 

Tenzo chuckled under the table, the vibrations of his smooth voice causing Iruka to whimper.

"Has the food been to your liking?" The waiter asked, suddenly appearing beside the table. 

"Oh yeah, absolutely delicious. Don't mind him… he's just tired." Kakashi said smoothly. 

"It's SOOOO good." Iruka tried to reply, but Tenzo was absolutely evil, and sucked as soon as he started talking, causing his answer to be half moaning. The waiter walked away awkwardly, confused as all hell, with Kakashi giggling his ass off. Maybe the sight of the copy ninja giggling was what scared him away, not the school teacher moaning at the dinner table.

Iruka stifled a loud moan as he blew his load into Tenzo's warm mouth. The Anbu swallowed everything he gave him, releasing his softening member with a loud pop before returning to his seat. Tenzo sat there innocently, licking his lips slowly as iruka tried to recover.

"Whatever happened to our sweet, shy Tenzo?" Kakashi said with a grin. 

"He's been corrupted by two perverts." Tenzo shot back quickly with a bright smile. 

"How on Earth have you gotten so good at that?" Iruka asked quietly, his breathing still a little ragged. 

"Guess I just needed the right inspiration." Tenzo said with a smirk. 

"Oh you are SO getting it when we get home." Kakashi said, eyeing Tenzo with mischief in his eyes. 

As promised, Tenzo barely made it through the threshold before Kakashi and Iruka were stripping him down. Iruka tackled him down to the floor as Kakashi removed his sandals and ripped off the Anbu's pants. 

The teacher claimed Tenzo's mouth violently as Kakashi moved to join him. The jonin leaned down, biting Tenzo on the chest viciously, breaking the skin. Iruka's first reaction was to scold Kakashi for being too rough, but the delicious moaning it brought out of Tenzo and the knowing smirk Kakashi shot him eased his worry. Kakashi licked up the small bit of blood pooling out of the bite, with Tenzo squirming underneath both of them. 

Kakashi licked a trail from the bite wound up to Tenzo's neck. The Anbu shuddered in anticipation, relishing in the attention he was being given. Iruka stood up, shed his clothes and straddled the tan man as he laid on the floor. Kakashi moved quickly, lubing up his fingers and prepping Iruka. But Iruka was impatient, only letting him get two fingers in before he moved to fuck Tenzo. Iruka liked the pain, if he was being honest with himself. 

Tenzo groaned loudly and threw his hands to Iruka's waist. His eyes closed, but only for a short time before they heard the telling sound of the cap on the lube shutting. Tenzo moaned loudly. Iruka turned to see Kakashi prepping Tenzo's ass. Iruka's eyebrows raised, but his attention was redirected as Tenzo's hips jerked up involuntarily. 

Kakashi removed his hand to let Tenzo continue to fuck Iruka senseless. The jonin snuck behind the teacher, pulling his head backwards by his hair roughly. Iruka groaned as Kakashi bit into his shoulder. The extra sensation proved to be too much, and Iruka came all over Tenzo's stomach. 

Tenzo continued to ram into him until his orgasm finished and Kakashi stopped him. 

"Alright, Tenzo. It's your turn." Kakashi spoke abruptly.

Iruka's bones turned to jelly as he rolled to the side, excited to watch his boyfriends. Kakashi started prepping Tenzo again, moving two lubed fingers around until he found the magic spot. Tenzo jumped, moaning with abandon as Kakashi continued his onslaught. 

After Kakashi deemed him ready, he grabbed a pillow from the couch, placing it under the small of Tenzo's back. Tenzo cried out as his lover slowly pushed in, officially being penetrated for the first time. When Kakashi was in all the way, he paused, giving the sweating man time to adjust. Once he had relaxed a bit, Kakashi set off. Iruka was amazed at Kakashi's ability to be rough and tender all in one go. Brutally fucking Tenzo into the carpet, yet being sensitive to his needs as someone who was doing this for the first time. 

The Anbu cried out as he forcefully came, his release mixing with Iruka's on his stomach, as Kakashi's orgasm soon followed. Tenzo was a mess. His arms were shaking, his hair was a bird's nest on his head, and his breath was coming out in sharp bursts. 

When he was finally able to calm down, Kakashi pulled out slowly, running a pale hand across Tenzo's forehead in reassurance. 

"Holy shit, I think I almost blacked out." Tenzo finally said, breaking the content silence. Kakashi looked up from where he had sprawled out on the floor, smiling like an idiot. "You did good, Tenzo. I take it you enjoyed your first time as a bottom?" 

Tenzo let out a sharp breath, laughing lightly. "Oh yeah. Definitely." 

Kakashi finally peeled himself off the floor, forming the signs for a shadow clone and standing up. The clone leaned over Iruka, scooping him up off the floor and Kakashi did the same for Tenzo. The clone bombarded Iruka with sweet kisses to his face as they made their way to the customary bath. 

When Tenzo woke in the morning, he was beyond sore. He groaned as he rolled out of bed. 

"Totally worth it." He mumbled, leaving his giggling boyfriends in bed to get ready. 

Tenzo left for his mission with rug burn, several deep bite wounds, a sore ass, and a big dopey grin on his face. 

~*

Tenzo had been gone for over a month already, and Kakashi couldn't help but notice the large empty spot on the bed. It called to him, always pointing out how Tenzo was wasn't there. He missed the Anbu's warmth. Kakashi had always been an excessively cold person. Before, Iruka had kept him plenty warm, but now he was used to having two bodies to warm him up. 

"I miss him too." Iruka spoke out into the darkness. "He's gonna be okay, right?"

"Maa, Sensei, if anything, he's probably the safest out of all of us. He is so far away from everything… plus he has Gai, Naruto, AND Killer Bee there with him." Kakashi reassured him. But he knew better. Tenzo was out on the edge of the world, BUT, he was with the only two people Madara Uchiha needed for his plan to come to fruition. They'd had this conversation already, but neither would mention it. If Iruka needed the reassurance, Kakashi would provide it. He reached out into the darkness and pulled Iruka into a warm embrace, letting his steady heartbeat lull him back to sleep. 

They woke to tapping on their bedroom window. Kakashi, being former Anbu, was the first to move. The curtains were closed, so he had time to slip on a mask before crossing the room in just his boxer-briefs. Iruka woke up, a soft yawning noise leaving his throat as Kakashi moved the curtain to see an Anbu by the window. Not good. If Kakashi was called away on a mission, Iruka would be stuck here all alone. He opened the window. 

"Lord Hokage summons you immediately." Yugao spoke quickly. 

"Alright, I'll be there." Kakashi replied. 

"Senpai… she needs both of you." Yugao spoke softly, a knowing tone in her voice at what that would imply. Absolutely no way Tsunade was calling them both away for a mission. Something had happened. Kakashi's face went pale, before he nodded his head slowly. 

Yugao leapt away quickly, and Kakashi wasted no time. He turned to his lover, who hadn't heard what Kakashi's former teammate had to say. 

"Iruka, get dressed. Tsunade has called for us." Kakashi spoke calmly. Iruka would know, but there was no reason to get him upset before they got there. 

Iruka stared at him for a moment, worry filling his eyes. There were only two people in the world Tsunade would be calling both of them for. Naruto… or Tenzo, and the teacher knew this well.

They moved fast, silently getting dressed at lightning speeds, before Iruka moved to hug Kakashi. He allowed a moment of sweet contact before whisking them away to Hokage tower with a jutsu. 

Kakashi had landed them directly outside of her office, and to their credit, the Anbu stationed there didn't even flinch. Kakashi nodded to them as one moved to open the door. 

Tsunade was pacing behind her desk, her things strewn everywhere across the floor and a dent in the wall to the right side. She turned when they entered, clearly expecting them to show up immediately. 

Iruka grabbed Kakashi's hand as his nerves got the best of him. Normally, Kakashi wouldn't do such a thing in front of the Hokage, but in this case, he allowed it. Tsunade opened her mouth to speak, but apparently lost the words, moving to sit back down in her chair instead. 

"Tsunade. Out with it." Kakashi growled. The outburst wasn't like him, not in this office, but he couldn't help it. When she looked up at him, he honestly expected to see anger, but it wasn't there. Instead was a look of complete pity and sadness. His heart sunk.

"There was an attack on the island. Apparently it was Kabuto's doing." She paused to look at them, and Iruka had a death grip on his hand. 

"Tenzo has been captured. It seems as if Kabuto wasn't trying to kill him. Like he had intended to take him all along." She said gravely. 

Kakashi couldn't think, not until he felt Iruka's grip dislocate one of his fingers. 

"Is there going to be a rescue?" Kakashi asked quickly. 

"I… I sent a team. But… we don't know if Kabuto is working with Madara or Orochimaru or both. And he left by sea, there is no way to track him. I'm sorry." Tsunade spoke, her voice was merely a whisper at the end. 

Kakashi looked over to Iruka. The tan skin had paled, tears streamed down his face, and his whole body was shaking. He pulled Iruka in, wrapping himself around his lover. He felt his exposed eye starting to water, the tears spilling down his face. No one, not Tsunade, not the Anbu, had seen him cry. Only his lovers were allowed to see him cry, and they had only seen it maybe once each. The thought made him feel worse. Would he ever see Tenzo again? 

"Kakashi." Tsunade said curtly. 

He turned to look at her, his arms still cradling Iruka as he softly sobbed. She had her bottle of sake out on her desk. 

"We are going to war. I leave tomorrow to meet with the other Kage again about the shinobi alliance. I'm putting you up for commander under Gaara." She took a drink straight from the bottle before standing, moving towards the couple. She placed a hand over the pale one Kakashi had on Iruka's shoulders, healing two dislocated fingers. The telling snap of the joints popping back into place grabbed Iruka's attention. 

"Sorry, Kakashi." He whispered, his voice already hoarse. 

"It's okay, Sunshine." Kakashi said softly. He kissed Iruka's tan forehead. 

Suddenly, he was all too aware that he was giving the Hokage an inside glimpse of his relationship, and his entire body stiffened. 

"You're excused." Tsunade said quickly, mercifully understanding Kakashi's sudden silence. He used a jutsu to take them back home instantly. 

Iruka's comfort meant more to Kakashi than his pride and secrecy, but that didn't stop Kakashi's face from flushing in embarrassment. Not only was he holding and kissing his lover in the Hokage's office, but he was pretty sure he even used a pet name. He snapped out of his thoughts when Iruka crumpled into a ball on the bed. Kakashi laid down, curling up around him, and ran his fingers through silky brown hair. 

"I'll get him back. The enemy probably wants the mokuton. They have to keep him alive for that. And Tenzo is strong, Iruka. We have to have faith in him." Kakashi rambled on, unsure whether he was trying to convince Iruka, or himself. 

The next few days were spent in mostly silence. Iruka took time from work to stay home with Kakashi, before the latter inevitably had to leave. They laid tangled up together in bed, only separating to use the bathroom or grab food. 

At the end of the third day, Kakashi was given a summons. They were shipping out in the morning. The only semblance of reassurance that Kakashi got was that Iruka would be staying in the village at the school. 

In his hands, Kakashi held the small summoning scroll. 

"Promise me that when the war is over, you'll use this." Iruka pleaded.

"Of course. I promise." Kakashi replied. 

The small scroll, one that Iruka had created and tested himself, was tucked into Kakashi's vest pocket. Iruka pulled him in for one last kiss before Kakashi had to leave. He didn't know when or if he was going to be able to return home, or if he would even live to use the scroll. All he knew was that he would do everything in his power to make it happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like I've finished writing this one now. I may end up just posting the last three chapters tomorrow if anyone is interested. Another double posting today of course.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting all three of the final chapters today, so enjoy!

Kakashi released a breath, one he felt like he had been holding in for days. The war was over. Madara was gone, Obito was gone (again), and it was done. Kakashi couldn't rest though. With the original team 7 standing next to him, he pulled the small scroll out of his front pocket. Sakura and Naruto were chatting away, but Sasuke was watching him closely. When he bit his thumb and slammed it down on the paper, all three were watching as Iruka walked out from the cloud of smoke. 

Iruka looked around, taking in his environment as Kakashi used the same thumb to summon his ninken. 

"Iruka-sensei!" Naruto yelled excitedly, but Iruka just nodded and smiled. He wasn't here to celebrate. 

"What's up, boss?" Pakkun asked quickly.

"Find him." Kakashi spoke sharply, tension quickly building. Pakkun nodded, sniffing the ground before he and the entire pack ran off to the left. 

"Let's go." Kakashi spoke to Iruka, grabbing his hand and jumping away.

"Kakashi-sensei! Where are you going? Who are you looking for?" Naruto yelled as he caught up to him easily. "Maybe I can help?" 

Kakashi turned, almost happy to see Sakura and Sasuke in tow. "Tenzo. We need to find Tenzo." Iruka answered, his deep brown eyes focused ahead of him. It couldn't have been easy for the teacher, sitting around waiting for Kakashi to summon him, ready to go at any given time. And as happy as the jonin was to see him, they didn't have time to mess around. They had no idea what kind of condition Tenzo was in, or where he was. 

Team 7 exchanged glances amongst themselves, confused on why this took priority over everything else. 

Even with his confusion, Naruto entered sage mode, searching for the Anbu with his chakra. 

"He's about a mile east of us." Naruto said quickly. 

"Alive?" Kakashi asked nervously.

"Yes… but weak." Naruto answered. 

Iruka exhaled loudly. "Thank goodness." He said quietly, his words coming out in a half sob as all his anxiety was crashing down on him. 

They followed the dog pack and Naruto to a pile of rubble. Iruka was the first one to spot Tenzo's upper body hanging out of the debris.

"TENZO!" Iruka yelled, but Kakashi beat him there, ripping their lover out of the rock pile quickly and cradling him to his chest. 

"Tenzo?! Tenzo, wake up." Kakashi spoke frantically, motioning for Sakura to come assist him. Iruka kneeled beside him, skimming his hands through Tenzo's dirty brown hair. 

As Sakura worked, Kakashi couldn't calm his aching heart. Tenzo was pale, a bit thin, and clearly his body had taken a beating. What had they done to him? 

Finally, Tenzo's eyes fluttered open. "Tenzo!" Iruka cried out, kissing the man gently on his forehead. 

Tenzo started breathing quickly, gripping Kakashi's arms tightly. "It's okay, Tenzo. We're here." Kakashi spoke quietly. Sakura backed off a little bit to give him some room, as Naruto and Sasuke watched from a distance. Kakashi wouldn't hide this from team 7 any more. He leaned down over the brunette, peppering kisses all over his face.

Tenzo's voice was almost non-existent when he finally spoke. "Kakashi? Iruka? Is this real? Are you really here?" 

"Of course we're here, Sweetheart. You're safe now. We've got you." Iruka cooed softly, moving as close as he could to touch the Anbu. 

"Kakashi-sensei? What… what's going on here?" Naruto asked softly, worry and concern in his big blue eyes. 

Kakashi wasn't sure he could speak anymore, so he was thrilled when Iruka decided to take the reins on this one. "Naruto… Tenzo is our uh… boyfriend. All three of us are in a relationship together."

Sasuke and Sakura walked closer, listening to Iruka's explanation. Sasuke seemed indifferent, but Sakura's eyes were wide. Naruto on the other hand, just looked confused. "Huh? What does that mean?" 

"It means I'm in love with Kakashi AND Tenzo. We all love each other equally." Iruka replied. 

"Oh… ok. I think I understand it now." Naruto half-mumbled.

"Iruka, we need to get him back home." Kakashi interrupted as Tenzo's body started shivering. "Sakura, is Tenzo okay for transport?" 

"Uh, yes. He will be fine." Sakura answered. 

"Thank you, Sakura. I mean it." Kakashi spoke softly as Iruka opened a supply scroll, summoning a cloak. 

"I'll carry him the first shift, Kakashi. I wasn't the one just fighting a war." Iruka said with a smile. Kakashi laughed softly. "Okay, fair enough." They carefully shifted Tenzo into the cloak, with the Anbu protesting weakly the entire time that he could manage on his own. 

Kakashi stopped to look at Tenzo, seeing the grumpiness reflected in the dark eyes. It was adorable, really. An hour ago he hadn't been sure he would ever see grumpy Tenzo ever again. When he was on Iruka's back, Kakashi made sure to give both of them a kiss. "Just let us take care of you, Pumpkin." The jonin said softly, reaching out to poke Tenzo on the nose. 

Kakashi turned around to see Sasuke's eyebrows raised up. He blushed brightly as he realized how he was acting in front of his student that he hadn't seen in years. 

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you! Kakashi's a total softie when it comes to love!" Naruto shouted with a smile. Sasuke merely grunted an answer to the loud blonde. 

"Hey Iruka-sensei, do you need me to go with you?" Naruto asked.

"No, you should probably stay to make sure there are no enemies left." Kakashi replied. 

"I can go with you, Kakashi. If you wouldn't mind." Sasuke spoke up suddenly. 

Kakashi had to wonder what would make the Uchiha volunteer as an escort, but it had been so long since they had seen each other, he was tempted. He looked to Iruka, who nodded his acceptance. 

"Alright Sasuke. You can go with us. I'm sure the Hokage would like to speak with you anyway." Kakashi answered. 

With that settled, the three of them took off in the direction of Konoha. The first leg of the trip was silent, but after four hours, it was Kakashi's turn to carry Tenzo. 

"I could carry him, if you'd like." Sasuke's bored voice filled the silence. 

Kakashi seriously thought about it for a minute, but quickly changed his mind. "No offense, Sasuke, but the last time you came in contact with Tenzo, you stabbed him in the chest."

Iruka was in the process of rearranging Tenzo when he paused, first staring at Kakashi, then switching to glare at Sasuke. The Uchiha simply shrugged. "To be fair, I was TRYING to stab Naruto. I didn't even realize that was the same person. He looks different in this condition."

Iruka's jaw dropped. "Is that supposed to make it better?" 

"Iruka, it's okay. He didn't even recognize me." Tenzo said sleepily from in his arms. 

"You're the wood style user? That's an… interesting jutsu." Sasuke drawled. 

"Mm. It was a nice parting gift from Orochimaru after months of torture when I was an infant." Tenzo said, staring at the boy with empty eyes. 

"I see. Well don't worry, I will keep my distance." He answered. 

Tenzo snorted, earning a glare from the missing nin. Kakashi had to chuckle a little. After all, the goal was to capture the boy originally. Now, if he made a move towards Tenzo that he didn't like, Kakashi would kill Sasuke himself. Whether Tenzo knew that or not, he couldn't say, but he felt an odd sense of comfort when he shifted Tenzo up onto his back. He took a nice deep breath, relishing in the sweet scent of the forest that permeated from Tenzo. Kakashi would never let anything happen to Tenzo again. 

~

It had been three weeks since Tenzo had been brought home. Aside from a few lingering feelings of paranoia, he had made it out unscathed. He had even been promoted to the Hokage's personal guard. Kakashi had been sworn in as the sixth hokage two weeks after the war had ended, and Tenzo's assignment had been changed the next day. Even though it was Kakashi's way of forcing him to stay in the village, he didn't mind. 

Being Kakashi's personal Anbu was a blast. Spending all day with his boyfriend was the best job he could have hoped for. And honestly, he didn't miss regular Anbu missions one bit. His time with Kabuto and Obito had changed his view on things. He never wanted to spend that time away from his lovers again. 

Today, he met iruka for lunch. Normally Kakashi would go too, but he was roped into a meeting with the elders, and insisted that he go without him. It was lucky that today wasn't a school day and Iruka was available. They walked into the bbq joint, laughing and giggling away. A few of Iruka's friends were there, but thankfully he chose not to force Tenzo to sit with them. 

The Anbu was still relatively unknown throughout the village, even after being on regular missions for so long, and it just happened to be his lover's most annoying friend, Genma. Conversations were just plain awkward for Tenzo most of the time, especially when people wanted to talk about the war, or why they had never really seen him around before. 

Lunch was great. Sometimes, Tenzo felt his anxieties and nervousness start to build up, even doing such an easy job like watching Kakashi's back. Sitting back and unwinding with Iruka was some of the greatest medicine he could ask for, and today was perfect. They laughed, and flirted, and fought over who would pay the check. Tenzo won of course, since his new job paid a good chunk of money, and Iruka waited outside while he paid. 

Tenzo turned to leave, but was stopped by Genma's arm on his shoulder. He turned around and greeted the man, only to be met with a scowl. 

"You know Iruka's boyfriend is the Hokage, right? He's happy with Kakashi, and you shouldn't be trying to get in between them. You should be ashamed of yourself." Genma snapped at him, and denied him the chance to defend himself by disappearing in a puff of smoke. 

Tenzo gaped at the empty space where Genma had been. How could he say something like that to someone who may as well be a stranger? The man was beyond rude… but was he right? Would Iruka be just as happy if it was just him and Kakashi? Was Tenzo just keeping them from being as happy as they could be? Maybe everything they had built all this time hadn't been real. 

The troubling thoughts swam through his mind as he left the restaurant silently. 

"Would you like to take a walk with me?" Iruka asked sweetly. 

"Uh, no. I need to go back to work." Tenzo said abruptly. 

"Oh. Ok. Well, I will see you tonight then." Iruka leaned in for a kiss, only for Tenzo to shamefully teleport away. 

He felt awful, he really did, and as he landed in front of the tower, Tenzo couldn't help but want to kick himself a little. What was he so concerned about? They loved him, didn't they? 

Tenzo spent the rest of his shift in relative silence, not giving Kakashi much to work with in terms of conversation. Was he being ridiculous? Probably, but he couldn't seem to stop himself from pulling away a little bit. Even worse, tonight they were having dinner with team 7. 

Iruka and Kakashi ran through the kitchen, cooking dinner gracefully as Tenzo was slumped over on the couch. When the doorbell rang, Tenzo welcomed their guests and showed them to the new dining room table he had made earlier in the week. Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Sai all sat on one side, leaving the adults room to sit together. 

Throughout dinner, Tenzo kept to himself. He didn't really feel like he was part of team 7 most of the time, anyway. He was a replacement, like Sai. The worried glances shared between Iruka and Kakashi weren't exactly discreet, so Tenzo made sure to school his features into a blank slate. 

Dinner was finally over, and Tenzo thought he would have a moment of peace. Unfortunately, he was wrong. 

"Captain Tenzo, I was wondering if I could speak with you privately for a moment." Sakura spoke professionally. He nodded, following her out onto the porch. 

"I was wondering how you've been doing since your return? You haven't seemed quite like yourself, and if you are having issues stemming from your capture, you need to get some medical attention." Sakura spoke quickly. Tenzo almost smiled. She had certainly grown up. 

"Uh, no. I'm not having those kinds of problems, thank you." Tenzo answered politely. 

"Well is there anything I can help you with? You seem… down." Sakura looked at him seriously, and he wondered how much he could trust her. 

"If I tell you something, will you go straight to my boyfriends and tell them?" Tenzo asked calmly. 

"Not if you don't want me to." The pink haired girl answered. 

"Do you think they would be happier in a normal relationship… without me? I can't help but feel like maybe I'm holding them back from something." Tenzo said quietly. 

"What? What made you think something like that? Did they say something?" She answered, her voice remaining surprisingly steady. 

"No, of course not. Uh, Genma just mentioned something to me today, and it got me thinking that maybe I should back off." Tenzo said sheepishly, rubbing a hand to the nape of his neck. 

Her face started to turn red with anger, her knuckles cracked loudly, and then she forced herself to calm down. "GENMA is an idiot. Those two love you deeply, I've seen it with my own eyes, Captain. They couldn't be happier without you, because you are a part of them. Okay?" 

He nodded slowly, before excusing himself to go back inside. Tenzo wished that he could say her words had fixed whatever was going on in his head, but she was an outsider of the relationship. She couldn't honestly know Iruka and Kakashi's true feelings. 

Team 7 finally excused themselves, with sakura placing a lingering hand on Tenzo's shoulder before going out the door. Great. There was no way Kakashi's eagle eye didn't see that. He turned to confirm that yes, they were both staring at him with worried looks. 

Kakashi was the first one to step forward, wrapping Tenzo up in a hug before he had a chance to get away. Iruka moved around to hug him from his back, and Tenzo couldn't keep his body from tensing up. 

Both men pulled away partially, sharing a look over his shoulder. Kakashi was the first to speak. "Tenzo, what's wrong? Did we do something to upset you?" 

Tenzo opened his mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. How could he possibly explain it to them? He frowned, looking down away from Kakashi's face to think. He looked back up, only to see that his silence had replaced Kakashi's worry with guilt. 

"No! You didn't do anything wrong… it's just… me, I guess." He said quickly. He hadn't meant to make Kakashi feel upset, it wasn't fair to them to keep this in. 

Iruka moved forward, placing his chin on Tenzo's shoulder and pulling him in tight. "What do you mean?" He asked quietly, almost whispering. Kakashi tilted his head in that adorable way that makes him dog-like, and Tenzo almost smiled, almost. 

"Well… I've started to wonder if maybe... maybe I'm holding you back from having a normal relationship. That maybe I should back off." Tenzo explained himself quietly, looking down to the side to avoid eye contact. 

Iruka exhaled softly by his ear, and his arms possessively squeezed the Anbu tighter. "What the hell would ever make you think that?" Iruka asked. 

"Are you breaking up with us?" Kakashi half mumbled, the hurt in his voice obvious. 

"No, I'm not. I was just wondering if you two would be happier without me in the way." Tenzo admitted softly. 

"In the way?! Tenzo what happened today?" Iruka asked loudly before spinning the man around. "We were having a nice lunch together and you just… left. What happened?" Kakashi pressed himself up against Tenzo's back, his face resting between his shoulders as he waited for the answer. 

"Well… Genma came up and talked to me." 

Kakashi stiffened behind him. "Genma? What did he say?" 

Tenzo paused. He couldn't lie to them, he loved them too much. "He asked me if I knew that Iruka's boyfriend was the Hokage, and said you two were happy together, and that I should back off. He insinuated I was putting myself between you two and that I should be ashamed." 

Kakashi's hands fisted in the back of his shirt, and he started to regret his honesty when he saw the look of hurt cross Iruka's face. 

"Tenzo, are you happy with us?" Kakashi asked quietly from behind his back. 

"Yes! I love you two so much! I just…" Tenzo began to explain, but was interrupted by Iruka grabbing his face. "Tenzo. We love you more than the sun itself, do you know that?" 

Tenzo nodded. 

Iruka sighed. "Whenever you were gone, I missed you so much. But when you were missing? I felt like a piece of my heart shriveled up and died right then. Do you know what me and Kakashi did after they told us there was nothing they could do? Before he got shipped out?" 

"No." Tenzo admitted softly. 

"Well, after we cried in front of Tsunade in her office, we laid at home and cried in bed together for THREE DAYS, until Kakashi had to leave. We need you, and we won't EVER want you to leave." Iruka replied, his eyes welling up with tears. 

"We aren't complete without you, Tenzo." Kakashi spoke, kissing the back of his neck gently. 

Tenzo felt his body sag with an immense relief. Genma had worried him for nothing. Not that the man could have known the actual nature of their relationship. 

"Do you feel better?" Kakashi asked tentatively. 

"Of course!" Tenzo said with a smile. 

"Good. I love you, Tenzo." The jonin spoke softly.

"I love you too, Kakashi." He answered, turning around just in time to see a cloud of smoke. 

Uh-oh. 

~

Kakashi landed outside of the overly crowded bar in the middle of town. He knew Genma would be here. He moved through the crowd of people, very aware of the fact that his anger was showing clearly. He had a mask on, but both eyes were uncovered and open. People moved out of his way swiftly, and it was unclear if it was because he was their Hokage, or because he was pissed. 

Back in the corner booth, in his usual seat, sat that rat bastard Genma, holding an ice pack to a fresh black eye. 

"Rival!" Gai shouted from the seat next to him. "Seems Sakura has acquired some youthful passion for our dear friend Tenzo!" 

At the mention of his lover's name, his attention moved to Gai. "What do you mean?" Kakashi asked through gritted teeth. 

"It means she walked up to me and punched me in the face for no reason! She said I 'hurt Tenzo's feelings'." Genma answered with attitude. He opened his mouth to speak again, but thought differently after seeing the anger on Kakashi's face. 

"Let's talk outside." Kakashi growled out.

"Uh… no, I think I'd rather talk in here." Genma replied nervously.

Kakashi was more than aware that all eyes in the bar were focused solely on him, and he no longer cared. "Fine. Do not speak to Tenzo again. He is not your business." 

"Hey man, I was just looking out for you! Do you realize he is getting awfully close to Iruka? You better get that guy away from you two!" Genma defended himself. 

"I'm going to say this ONE time." Kakashi spoke through gritted teeth. "Tenzo is my boyfriend. Iruka is my boyfriend. We are in a relationship together, and if ANYONE speaks to Tenzo OR Iruka like they are merely some obstacle again, you will have to deal with me." Kakashi spoke loudly, ensuring the entire bar heard him. "Tenzo is a person! And for you to speak so rudely to him, REGARDLESS of your intentions, is despicable!"

Kakashi fumed while Genma and the rest of the bar were silent. 

"I know." Genma finally spoke again. "After Sakura decked me, I rethought what I had said to him. I'm sorry, Kakashi. I shouldn't have been so mean to him. He doesn't deserve that. I will apologize to him personally, okay?"

Kakashi simply nodded, finally looking around to the other patrons. Most turned away from his gaze quickly, but there were others brave enough to stare. It suddenly occurred to him that he, as the Hokage, had just openly admitted to being in a three-way relationship with two other men in the middle of a bar. The elders would certainly chew him out for this. Kakashi teleported back home. 

When he got there, Iruka and Tenzo jumped up from the couch. 

"Are you okay? What did you do?" Tenzo asked quickly, his wide eyes showing all of his worry.

"You didn't hit him, did you?" Iruka asked quietly. 

"No. I didn't." Kakashi answered plainly. Iruka exhaled softly and relaxed his shoulders. "I was going to, but it seems Sakura beat me to it. He has one hell of a black eye." He said with a smirk, glancing over to Tenzo, who was blushing furiously. 

"S-she did?" Tenzo asked curiously. 

"Yep. She cares about you a ton, you know. They all do. You are their captain, and NOBODY talks to their captain that way. I can only imagine what would've happened if you had told Naruto instead." Kakashi said with a shrug. Tenzo smiled brightly, the beautiful smile that Kakashi hadn't seen since before lunch. 

"What did you say to Genma?" Iruka asked. 

"Ah. I basically told him he was a dick for no reason. Aaaannnd I MAY have announced our relationship to the entire bar." Kakashi said, rubbing the back of his head. 

Both Iruka and Tenzo gaped at him. Kakashi wondered if he had made a mistake in assuming they didn't care if their relationship was public. "I'm sorry… I guess I should've asked if you wanted to go public." He said quietly. 

The other two looked at each other, before looking back to the jonin. 

"I don't care about being public." Tenzo announced confidently. "But you are the Hokage… that isn't exactly good for your image."

Kakashi laughed loudly. "As if I care about my image. The elders can fuck off, along with anyone else that has a problem with us. I love both of you, and nothing anyone can say will change that, so why should I hide it? If I want to hug my boyfriends in public, then I will."

Regardless of the consequences, Kakashi was happy with his relationship being public.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kakashi deals with the counselors, poor Tenzo gets extra public love

As predicted, Kakashi was called into a meeting with the elders immediately. This time, Tenzo got to accompany his Hokage into the room. The Anbu stood patiently in the corner as the two elderly council members sat down. 

"Well, let's just get straight to the point." The woman started speaking as Kakashi shifted slightly in his seat. This wouldn't be an easy meeting. "We've heard some troubling rumors about your relationship, Hatake. Care to explain?"

"I suppose you should tell me what you've heard before I get started." Kakashi drawled in his usual bored tone. He always has to make things difficult, Tenzo thought to himself as he refrained from rolling his eyes. 

"Come on, Hatake. Out with it." The man spoke with an edge of anger in his voice. 

True to Kakashi's nature, he wouldn't speak until they answered his question. The council recognized this, and with a sigh the woman started to speak again. "We've heard that you have a relationship with two people, instead of just the chunin teacher. And both male, no less."

The tone she used got under Tenzo's skin a little bit, but he refused to budge from his post. Getting emotional would not help their situation any. 

"Then what is the question?" Kakashi asked.

The couple exchanged looks. "Well is it true?" 

"Yes." Kakashi answered plainly with a shrug. The woman gasped, horrified at the apparently scandalous actions of her Hokage.

"Who is this other man? I would like to speak with him." The gray haired man spoke angrily. Kakashi made a simple hand gesture, and Tenzo appeared at his side from the corner. 

"Have your lackey summon him immediately." The woman spoke. 

Kakashi smirked. "Cat, please take off your mask." 

Tenzo removed his mask immediately, crossing his arms behind his back dutifully. "This, is Tenzo. My other boyfriend." Kakashi said with a smile on his face. Tenzo bowed to the elders, who looked about five seconds away from having a heart attack. 

"You are dating your personal guard? You don't think that is a conflict of interest?" The man spoke harshly, as if Tenzo weren't right in front of him. 

"What conflict? Nobody wants me to stay alive more than somebody with a vested personal interest in me." Kakashi spoke, annoyance slowly sinking into his tone. 

The man stood up, his brows furrowed as if he were looking to fight. "THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! YOU CAN'T POSSIBLY BELIEVE THIS IS ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR FOR THE LEADER OF THIS VILLAGE!" 

Kakashi remained seated, with the same bored look, and the man took a couple steps forward to try to enter his personal space. Tenzo effortlessly stepped between them, tilting his head to the side in a challenge, his arms now by his side. His brown eyes locked onto the elderly man's, who was currently weighing his options here. One more step, and Tenzo would react. 

"Move." The man spoke adamantly. 

"You are within striking distance of the Lord Hokage, if you make another move in his direction, I will be forced to remove you as a possible threat." Tenzo said professionally, placing his mask back over his face. 

Kakashi snickered behind Tenzo's back. "See how professional he is? I'm probably the safest Hokage there ever was. But if this is too much for you to handle, I will gladly step down and let Naruto take the reins." 

After a moment of wide-eyed consideration, the man returned to his seat quickly, and Tenzo moved back to Kakashi's side. "Now, that won't be necessary. We will just need to keep certain things… under wraps, so to speak." The woman answered.

"I will NOT be hiding any aspect of my relationship in public. You can either live with that, or you can't. It doesn't bother me any." Kakashi said as he stood up to leave. The man huffed his annoyance, but ultimately decided silence was the best answer. 

Tenzo watched the old man longer than necessary as Kakashi left the room, making sure he got the point that Tenzo wouldn't let him near the Hokage. When the Anbu finally moved, Kakashi was waiting outside the door with a smile on his face. 

A few hours of mindless paperwork later, the pair decided to go out for lunch. Tenzo was technically not working, so he removed his armor and mask for the trip. They walked through the streets aimlessly, trying to decide where to eat. 

"Want to see two old hags have a stroke?" Kakashi asked casually. 

"Didn't we see that this morning?" Tenzo asked with a curious smile on his face. Kakashi smiled at him and grabbed his hand, leading him into a small restaurant. Tenzo giggled, enjoying his first public appearance with his boyfriend. He didn't even care when he finally understood what Kakashi had asked him. The two elders from this morning were eating in the restaurant, and they had already been spotted. 

Tenzo smiled brightly at Kakashi. "You knew they were here?" He asked quietly, moving in close. The man simply shrugged, leaning forward to kiss Tenzo on the nose through his mask. 

People were staring, but Tenzo didn't care. He was finally able to come out into the light in his relationship, and he was enjoying every second of it. 

"Kakashi?" Kurenai and Anko announced their presence behind them. They had always been relatively close to Iruka, and it was no wonder they were confused seeing him all over Tenzo, a man they didn't know. 

"Kurenai, Anko, no need to glare at me. This is Tenzo. He is our boyfriend. Iruka and I date him together." Kakashi said with a smile. 

"Oh? How long has that been going on?" Anko asked suspiciously, looking at Tenzo curiously. 

"It's been a little while actually, but we've only gone public with it today." Tenzo answered confidently with a huge smile. 

Thankfully, the two girls smiled back, accepting the answer. 

"So where is Iruka?" Anko asked politely.

"It's a school day, Anko." Kurenai answered. "Tenzo, what do you do for a living?" 

"I've roped him into being my personal bodyguard." Kakashi answered proudly. 

Tenzo rolled his eyes. "Senpai, you KNOW you can't keep telling people that. I'm supposed to be anonymous." 

The girls giggled lightly, and finally excused themselves to their own table, leaving the couple to themselves. Kakashi didn't waste any time before guiding Tenzo to a booth so they could sit together. With his lover practically sitting in his lap, Tenzo could feel the eyes of the council digging into the back of his head. 

"Are you doing this just to piss them off?" Tenzo asked quietly. 

"Kind of. I also really am just enjoying this. I'm glad we went public… I've been dying to kiss you every time we went to lunch." Kakashi answered before pecking Tenzo on his cheek softly. The brunette blushed brightly as they placed their orders, and the two were perfectly happy cuddling and laughing together before the elders walked by their table. 

Tenzo looked back to where they had been sitting, and seeing their food half-finished almost bothered him. 

"Looks like we actually ran them off. Intolerant bastards." Kakashi said calmly. 

"That doesn't bother you? People like that?" Tenzo asked timidly. 

"No. It doesn't. I don't really care what people think of my life. There is always going to be someone judging you for your choices… might as well make it worth it." Kakashi answered. "Whenever it starts to bother you, just think about how much I am absolutely head over heels in love with you." 

A cheesy grin spread on Kakashi's face and Tenzo couldn't help but smile back. Even through the mask, Kakashi was beautiful. He stared into those steely gray eyes. It was still a little strange seeing him without the sharingan, but those dark eyes were amazing. "You're so beautiful." Tenzo said softly. The rare blush crept up over the edge of Kakashi's mask and trailed up to the tips of his ears. 

"Maa, Tenzo, you don't have to lie to me to get in my pants." Kakashi said, moving his gaze down to hide his blush. 

"I mean it, Kakashi. I wouldn't ever lie about that. I love you." Tenzo spoke, leaning over to kiss Kakashi on top of his head. 

"I love you too, Pumpkin." Kakashi said with a wide smile. 

~

Iruka walked to the market humming softly to himself. School was over for the day, and he planned to make his boyfriends a nice dinner. He bounced from stall to stall happily, picking up bits and pieces of what would become a nice meal. 

"Iruka!" Came an excited voice from behind him. The high pitched voice could only be Anko, so he turned around to greet her. Kurenai was a bonus, and he was more than happy to stop and chat with two of his friends for a while. 

"So Iruka, I'm gonna cut to the chase, we ran into Kakashi and Tenzo on their lunch today and got to witness some interesting stuff." Anko said with a devious smile on her face. "Your adorable dog-boy explained it to us, but I still need to hear it from you to know we don't gotta do some… corrective training." 

Anko had always been fond of the dog jokes, much to Kakashi's embarrassment. Iruka enjoyed it, as he often found himself making similar ones at home. "If you're referring to our loving three-way relationship, then he wasn't lying." Iruka said with a smile. 

"Good." Anko said, satisfied that she didn't need to try to battle the Hokage. "So tell us about him then." 

"Tenzo?" Iruka questioned.

"Yeah." Kurenai answered. "We don't really know this guy. What's he like?"

Iruka chuckled softly. "Tenzo is amazing. He is sweet, and kind, and super shy. He loves animals and nature to the point that it's just plain adorable." Iruka laughed thinking about it as he mindlessly continued to shop. "He's got this amazing smile, you know? It just… lights up a room. And his laugh? One of the most beautiful things I've ever heard." 

Iruka paused in his shopping, realizing how much he had been going on about Tenzo. He looked to the two women, who were flashing him cheesy smiles. 

"Man, you got it bad." Kurenai said softly. "You must really love him." Anko nodded her agreement. 

"Of course I do. I love them both. I don't know what i would do without either of them." Iruka said seriously. 

"So what is Kakashi like as a boyfriend? He must be different with you than he is with everyone else." Anko asked, determined to pry. 

"Kakashi is one of the most caring people I've ever met. You don't really know him until you see him in his own home." Iruka stopped to think for a moment. "You've never been over to my house for dinner, have you?" 

"No." Both women answered in unison. 

"Would you like to come over tonight? I'm making dinner." Iruka asked.

Anko nodded immediately. 

"Yeah, I can leave the baby with Shikamaru and Temari." Kurenai answered. 

"Okay. Kakashi and Tenzo are off work at 6, so why don't you two come over at 5:30?" Iruka asked.

"Sounds great!" Anko shouted before the women left Iruka to his shopping. 

When Iruka returned home, he found Pakkun lounging on the couch, and sent a message to his lovers warning them that they would be having company for dinner. 

~

After another few hours of paperwork and a visit from Pakkun, Kakashi and Tenzo walked home holding hands. They received more than a few glances, but all it took was one look at Kakashi's smiling face to reassure Tenzo. Sometimes, when there happened to be a larger group of curious people around, Kakashi would suddenly pull Tenzo in for a sweet embrace and a soft kiss. 

Was it just for show? Maybe. But did that stop Tenzo from melting into the sweetness every time? Definitely not. He felt like his whole empty life had been leading him to this, to this moment where he finally gets to love and be loved. 

"Who do you think is coming for dinner?" Tenzo asked softly.

"I would bet money it's Anko and Kurenai." Kakashi said calmly. "They probably found Iruka earlier to make sure you weren't just my mistress." 

Tenzo rolled his eyes, but smiled at the smirk Kakashi sent his way. "You are probably right."

When the pair walked in the front door, Kakashi was proven correct. Both women sat at the kitchen table while Iruka was working on dinner. 

"Honey, we're home!" Kakashi called out.

Iruka called out his greetings to them from the stove. Tenzo sat at the kitchen table with their guests while Kakashi walked up beside Iruka, placing an arm around his waist and asking if he could help. 

~

Kakashi helped Iruka serve dinner. As he wandered around the table, he knew Anko was watching him with a smile on her face. Everyone was always so weird about the copy ninja being a normal human being in his own home. Sometimes he liked to surprise people, other times it just became exhausting. Today, he was feeling a mischievous streak. Anko had been hounding him for years to take off his mask, even going so far as tackling him to the ground - twice! - to try to rip his mask off. It was tempting to just casually remove the mask at dinner, if he was being honest. 

He excused himself to change out of his work clothes before he sat to eat. Iruka kissed him through his mask, and he retreated to the back room. He replaced his usual uniform with a plain black shirt and pants. The mask, he left on his nightstand. This would be funny. 

Kakashi walked back into the kitchen, both of his boyfriends noticing immediately. The women hadn't looked at him until he sat down. 

"OH MY GOD!" Anko shouted, pointing at Kakashi's bare face from across the table. She sputtered, trying to find the words to say as Kurenai sat silent, jaw dropped. Both Iruka and Tenzo giggled, and Kakashi gave each of them a peck on the cheek. 

"Are you telling me all I had to do to see your face was come over for dinner?!" Anko screeched. "Iruka! Why didn't you tell me that he was gorgeous?!" 

Kakashi looked down to his plate, feeling a horribly embarrassing blush run up his neck to his face. He had no mask to hide behind now, and suddenly regretted his plan. 

"Anko, stop embarrassing the man." Kurenai spoke sharply. 

Tenzo reached over from his right, pulling Kakashi in for a half-hug to reassure him. It helped a little, but somehow it also made him feel like he was a child. 

"Sorry, I'm just surprised, is all." Anko said with a guilty tone. 

Iruka leaned in from his left, whispering in his ear softly. "I'm proud of you, sweetheart." 

Kakashi smiled softly, looking over to his lover. 

"Ok, I just gotta say one more thing, then I'll drop it." Anko said, much quieter than before. "I see why you wear the mask. That smile is a lady-killer for sure." Kurenai nodded in agreement, and Kakashi blushed again. He looked over to the women, both of them smiling fondly at him. 

"Alright, let's make Tenzo blush now!" Anko said excitedly. Kakashi felt Tenzo slump down in his seat a little, trying unsuccessfully to hide himself from the prying eyes. 

"Anko, I didn't Invite you over to embarrass my boyfriends." Iruka scolded her softly. 

"Hey, I gotta make sure these two are good enough for my Ru-Ru." Anko said, shoving food in her mouth. 

Iruka wrinkled his nose, and Kakashi had to smile at the adorable chunin. He could feel Kurenai watching him from the corner of his eye, but he ignored it. 

"Anko, for the last time, don't call me that." Iruka said, pouting. 

"So, Tenzo," Anko changed the subject, "you love my boy Iruka?" 

Tenzo blushed. "Yes, I do." 

"What is the one thing you love most about him?" Anko asked curiously. 

Tenzo opened his mouth to speak, but shut it again. He thought for a moment. "I think I love all the little things he does the most."

"What do you mean?" Kurenai asked softly. 

"Well," Tenzo started, rubbing a hand on the back of his neck, "he always makes sure to water my plants when I'm gone, and he randomly brings me home new architecture books all the time. When I come home late, he always makes sure I eat before going to bed. Stuff like that. These two take care of me… it's something I have never had before." Tenzo's voiced trailed down to a whisper towards the end as he stared at his food. 

Kakashi watched him. Tenzo really was a Sweetheart, and his shyness was absolutely adorable. 

"Well… you three are just the most adorable things I've ever seen." Anko said with a grin. "This relationship has my seal of approval." She said with a nod. Iruka laughed. "Gee, I'm glad I don't have to break it off with them." He said with a laugh. Kakashi laughed lightly as he finished off his food. 

Kakashi and Tenzo cleared the table while Iruka entertained their guests. Kakashi worked side-by-side with Tenzo at the sink to wash the dishes. 

"I can't believe you ate with your mask off." Tenzo spoke quietly. 

"I know. Not sure what I was thinking with that. I just thought it would be funny, I guess." Kakashi mumbled. 

"I think you almost gave Anko a heart attack." Tenzo stated.

"It seems to be the recurring theme of the day." Kakashi said, smiling at his lover. 

Tenzo grinned, right before flicking some water off his fingers onto Kakashi's face. 

Kakashi wasn't sure how it had escalated so quickly, but before he knew it, Tenzo's shirt was soaked, along with the floor, and both women were laughing their asses off in the living room. Anko rolled on the floor as Iruka walked up to scold them. It wasn't a very successful scolding, since Iruka was trying not to laugh at Tenzo's droopy hair. 

"Alright, give me the shirt. I'm not letting you track water through the house." Iruka said calmly. Tenzo huffed, but shed the shirt off quickly. Kakashi's eyes widened as Iruka walked away. Tenzo had a few bite marks, and there was no way the women hadn't noticed already. 

Kakashi turned to see Anko had already entered the kitchen, eyes wide. "DAMN Kakashi! Are you part vampire or something?" 

Tenzo's whole body blushed as he raced to put on the new shirt Iruka brought. Kakashi couldn't help but feel a little prideful of the marks, like he had claimed his territory or something. Iruka's right, he thought to himself. Maybe he WAS a little like a dog. 

"How did you know it was me?" Kakashi asked as Tenzo ran to the back room to hide. 

Anko smirked. "I've seen several of them on Iruka, you know. Twice on his neck, and once on his lower back when he was grabbing books off the floor." 

Iruka blushed brightly, suddenly having nothing to say. Kakashi just shrugged, smiling a crooked smile at the two women. "I like to bite, and they like to be bitten. It can't be helped."

"More like you want to mark your territory, dog-boy." Anko said with a laugh. Kakashi shrugged again, not wanting to deny what he had literally just been thinking in his head. 

"Alright, it's late. We should be going." Kurenai said softly. 

"Yeah, and Iruka has to finish scolding his children." Anko laughed. 

Tenzo returned to the room just in time for the three of them to say goodbye to their guests. 

As soon as the door shut, Iruka turned to them. "You two are lucky you're adorable." He said with a laugh. "Let's clean this mess up."


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is it. I've enjoyed writing this story but it's time to move on. In here is a little bit of Kakashi acting like a turd, Naruto redeeming himself for me writing him as a brat, and a better look inside Tenzo's sweet heart. Enjoy!

Naruto showed up at their front door early the next morning. Iruka opened the door slowly, attempting to rub the sleep out of his tired eyes. 

"Good morning, Iruka-sensei!" Naruto said with a smile. 

"Morning." Iruka mumbled. "To what do I owe this visit?"

Naruto looked down to his feet and shuffled awkwardly. "Ah… well, Sakura told me about what happened with Genma. I just wanted to come check in on you guys."

Iruka smiled. Despite being a royal pain in the ass, Naruto had a good heart. "Come on in, I'll make some tea." He said, opening the door wider for the teen to enter. 

Iruka started the water, then excused himself to wake up his boyfriends. He stopped in the doorway of his bedroom, looking down at the two most important people in his life. Kakashi was curled into Tenzo's chest, his arms tucked into his sides. As macho as Kakashi had always seemed, he really enjoyed being the little spoon. Part of it was because the jonin appeared to be perpetually cold… but Iruka believed another part of it was because he felt safe that way. Kakashi's lonely childhood had obviously left some lasting damage, but he had recovered so much in the last few years. 

Tenzo was another story. He felt such a crazy need to protect what was important to him. At first, the Anbu had been apprehensive about contact, but now… he was the most cuddly out of the three of them. Iruka sighed softly, admiring the pile of naked muscles adorning his bed. Maybe if he thought about it hard enough, he could find some sort of musing about Kakashi's paper-white skin and Tenzo's bronze skin contrasting, but instead he was just going to wake them up. 

Tenzo woke easily enough, but Kakashi was always the difficult one. It was his day off, and damn it all if anyone thought he would get out of bed without a fight. As soon as Tenzo popped out of bed, Kakashi rolled himself into the blanket like a cocoon. "It's too cooold to get up." Kakashi whined. 

Iruka laughed, sitting down onto the bed next to the jonin. He reached up to play with the lumpy nest of silver bed head sticking out of the blanket. "It's only Naruto out there. Would you like to just go out there in the blanket?"

Kakashi shook his head in the blanket. Tenzo chuckled. He had finished getting dressed and decided to help out. "Would you like it if I carried you out to the couch?" The Anbu asked quietly, resting a hand on Kakashi's side. 

Kakashi finally found the terms agreeable, and Iruka rolled his eyes as Tenzo carried the lump out to the couch. Tenzo sat on the end of the couch with Kakashi snuggling in his lap. Was it ridiculous? Yes. But Iruka loved how childish Kakashi could be in the mornings, whether he would admit it out loud or not. And Tenzo? He was such an enabler. 

Naruto watched the pair on the couch, an amused grin spreading across his face. "Good morning, Kakashi-sensei!" He shouted with a smile. The jonin grunted from inside the blanket, poking his eyes out of the top to see their visitor. "Good morning to you too, Captain Tenzo!" Naruto said.

"Good morning, Naruto. You sure are awake early." Tenzo replied, using one hand to rub at his eye. "What brings you over here?" 

"Ah… well… I was just talking to Sakura yesterday, and thought I'd come check and see how you guys were doing." The blonde spoke nervously. 

Iruka served up four cups of tea, leaving Kakashi's on the table until he was ready to move the blanket. "Everything is fine here, Naruto, but it's very kind of you to stop by to check." Iruka spoke softly.

"I also heard that Kakashi-sensei had to have a meeting about you guys. How'd that go?" Naruto asked politely.

Tenzo laughed. "Yeah that was REAL exciting. I think it went as well as it could. For a minute there I thought I was going to have to take out the old man." 

Naruto laughed. "Yeah those counselors are a real pain. I'm not looking forward to having to deal with that." 

"Well with any luck, they will retire soon." Kakashi mumbled, staring down at his cup of tea. Iruka rolled his eyes, but retrieved a straw from the kitchen. He put it in Kakashi's cup and held it up. Sure enough, two pale hands reached out of the blanket for the cup. By some miracle, the blanket parted in a good spot for him to drink from the straw. 

It was almost too much. Here he was, LITERALLY THE HOKAGE, hiding in a blanket, half naked, drinking tea from a straw. 

Naruto laughed loudly. "If people could see how you act at home, no one would be worried about me taking over!" 

Everyone but Kakashi laughed at Naruto's statement. No, the jonin was probably pouting. Iruka ran a soothing hand through Kakashi's hair, trying to tame the wildness that was Kakashi's bed head. 

Naruto's face took on a more serious appearance, like a thought had suddenly clawed its way through the jokes. "Captain Tenzo… you're okay though? Like really okay?"

Tenzo faltered in finding an answer. He looked surprised at the sudden concern. "Yes, Naruto. I am… thank you." He finally answered, smiling softly at the teen. "Better than ever, actually."

"Good. Glad to hear it." Naruto said happily. "You know, Sakura isn't the only one who would beat people up for you guys. All of you are family to me… if anyone else gives you trouble, let me know." Naruto said sincerely, standing up from his seat in the chair. 

Iruka smiled, leaving the couch to give Naruto a hug. "Thank you Naruto." The teacher turned around, halfway startled to see Kakashi there, no blanket and no mask, shirtless and in pajama pants. 

"Naruto, you're going to be a great Hokage." Was all he said before giving the teen a hug of his own. Iruka wasn't surprised by the statement, Kakashi wasn't going to lay out all of his feelings for the teen, but he WAS a bit surprised by the hug. Either way, it was good to see. 

Once Naruto was over the shock of seeing Kakashi's face for the first time, he turned his bright blue eyes to Tenzo, who stood smiling next to Iruka. The teen jumped, wrapping the Anbu up before he could react. "Can't forget about my captain!" Naruto shouted, almost picking Tenzo up in the process. The smile on Tenzo's face, born half out of shock and half out of the feeling of being loved, was ridiculously beautiful. 

After that, Naruto left, and if iruka happened to notice that both of his boyfriends sported watery eyes… he wasn't going to mention it.

~

Kakashi worked at his desk diligently. He had been Hokage for three long years, longer than he had hoped. Some days, Iruka and Tenzo were the only things keeping him together as he dealt with missions, counsel members, and Naruto's training. In theory, all was going well. The laughable attempts on his life so far had been thwarted by Tenzo, with Kakashi actually having to help only twice. 

The Anbu was able to relax most days, sitting in a chair in the corner furiously designing something in his notebook. Kakashi didn't ask to see it. He knew that Tenzo would show him when it was done, he always did. Whatever it was, he had been working on it for at least two months now, abnormally long for him, in all honesty. Kakashi valued his privacy, so he never looked, not even when Tenzo cursed and erased whole pages, or spent hours combing through books on ecosystems and architecture. 

Kakashi loved watching the man draw. His brow would furrow as he squinted at the page, thinking intensely before continuing. Sometimes, he would turn the page upside-down, holding it at different angles. How that helped, Kakashi didn't know. Tenzo was so incredibly passionate about his designs, and anytime he finished one, Iruka and Kakashi listened to him go on about it for hours. His deep brown eyes would light up, his hands would be wildly gesturing for most of it, and his smile wouldn't go away. 

A couple of his designs were framed in the apartment, ones that Kakashi and Iruka liked the best. Iruka had picked out a wonderful little office design, and naturally, Kakashi had picked out the library.

Kakashi watched as the brunette worked in the corner, scribbling away with the tiniest bit of his tongue sticking out of his mouth. The man paused, staring at his page, tongue nowhere to be seen. 

"Kakashi. You're staring again." Tenzo spoke softly, watching his lover over his book.

"Sorry Tenzo." Kakashi said sheepishly, turning his chair back around to sign some more paperwork.

~

Tenzo hummed softly as he went about his morning rituals, watering his plants and starting tea. It was a little later in the morning than he had done this in previous years, but nowadays he didn't feel the burning need to rise with the sun. He moved to water the plants he kept on the porch, looking out at the view he had hand-crafted. Giant clusters of trees surrounded the lake that was only 200 feet from their back door, the door that Tenzo had drawn and redrawn thirty times before it was finally created. 

He leaned over the railing on the porch, breathing in the sweet scent of the outdoors. If he listened hard enough, he could hear the hustle and bustle of the village. They were close enough that Iruka didn't have to travel far to reach the academy, since he would never want to retire from shaping young minds into something useful, and yet far enough away that someone would really have to try if they wanted to bother Tenzo or Kakashi. 

He sighed, watching a small brown rabbit cross the distance between their cabin and the lake, taking advantage of the ecosystem he had painstakingly planned and researched to create. If he had been out here a few hours earlier, he would have seen the sun rising over the clear water. 

The rabbit stopped to take a drink at the lake, and Tenzo watched it, thinking about all the things that happened to bring him here. Never once in his years of Anbu did he think about retirement. Honestly, he figured he'd die on the job. But the day he showed Iruka and Kakashi the cabin he had built for them for his fifth anniversary in the relationship, was the day that Kakashi unceremoniously dropped the Hokage hat onto Naruto's blonde hair. The next morning, Tenzo followed Kakashi through the doors to file their retirement papers. It was a shock to many, but Tenzo had spent four and a half years by Kakashi's side watching his back as Hokage, and he couldn't imagine going a day without it. 

That was two years ago. Even then, nobody argued against it. Tenzo had served over two decades in Anbu, and that was more than triple the average lifespan for an operative. Kakashi had it worse. He had survived two wars, ten years in Anbu, and no less than twenty assassination attempts in his short term as Hokage. The younger generation had grown up, and could handle it themselves. Though if they were needed, Kakashi and Tenzo would be there.

He returned through the large doorway, passing through Iruka's office and the large library filled with books to get back to the kitchen. He opened the cupboard, a small huff of amusement leaving him as he pulled out one of three overused cups. 

The blue one with the dog on it had gotten the chip at the top the one afternoon when Iruka had finally, after YEARS of training, snuck up on Kakashi. The green one with the pumpkin… well that one had lost part of its handle when it was used as a weapon in a game of 'hide Kakashi's Icha-Icha'. The red one with the sun on it had lost its chunk when Tenzo had tackled Iruka to the floor after the chunin had been away for two weeks setting up a school in wind country. 

If he thought about it enough, he could laugh at the irony of all the cups, each broken in their own way, coming together to be part of one set. Instead, he looked up over the kitchen islander to the living room. Iruka was on the end of the couch, feet up in the recliner, reading a book on advanced shuriken training techniques. Even when it wasn't a school day, the man was dedicated. Kakashi had picked up the book for him three days ago at the store, along with three more just like it. 

The retired Hokage would indulge the teacher's reading whims until the end of time, because of course he would never complain from his spot in Iruka's lap. The pale man rested his head on Iruka's legs, while a tan hand mindlessly dragged through silver hair. Kakashi had a familiar orange book resting on his chest, long forgotten once Iruka's calming hand had put him to sleep. 

The view outside was amazing, something Tenzo planned and planned until finally, it was able to come to fruition. This house that he had built was a vision in itself, specially designed for the two people he cared most about in this world. But nothing would ever compare to the view he had on Saturday mornings, with Iruka doing his morning reading, and Kakashi napping away in his lap.

Tenzo smiled softly, walking to the couch, broken green cup in hand, to take his own place beneath Kakashi's battle-tested legs, wondering what he could have done to deserve such happiness.

**Author's Note:**

> I have just about written this entire story, so I decided it's about time to start posting it since I'm at over 30,000 words. Please comment and let me know what you think... comments make my day!
> 
> Also I've changed a few key things in the canon Naruto story for my own benefit while writing.
> 
> Name inspiration comes from the Metallica song of the same name.


End file.
